711.00111 Unlawful Shipments/220

The Chargé in Canada (Simmons) to the Secretary of State

No. 2333

Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s telegraphic instruction No. 50 of June 23, 1938, (7 p.m.)27 and to previous correspondence in regard to the export of airplane parts to the Canadian Car and Foundry Company, ostensibly for transshipment to Turkey.

The information which the Department thus supplied, consisting of a complete denial by the Turkish Foreign Office of the authenticity of orders for airplane parts alleged to have been placed by the Turkish Government with the Canadian Car and Foundry Company, was brought confidentially to the attention of Mr. John E. Read, Legal Adviser to the Canadian Department of External Affairs.

Mr. Read expressed great interest in this most recent development, and stated that it now seemed clear to him that the airplane shipments which have been the subject of previous correspondence with the Department were not bona fide and that the evidence now at hand seemed conclusive in showing that unauthorized persons had used the name and prestige of the Turkish Government in securing these shipments from Canada of airplane parts manufactured in the United States.

Mr. Read further advised me that the Canadian Government has been making its own investigations with the Turkish Government, but that thus far no definite information has been obtained from that source. He intimated that the Canadian Government would be very loath in the future to grant any permits for exports of this character, adding that they would not have done so in the past had it not seemed clear to them that the documentary proof submitted at that time indicated that the orders from the Turkish Government were authentic.

Mr. Read expressed himself as being very grateful to the Department for having supplied information in regard to these orders, which he stated would be of great benefit to the Canadian Government in its future consideration of questions of this character.

Respectfully yours,

John Farr Simmons
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