763.72113/2797: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 8—1:41 p.m.]
2075. Department’s telegram 916, December 6, 6 p.m. The opinion of the Attorney General embodied in the Department’s instruction 1159, November 3, 1938,11 regarding the points brought out in the note received by the Embassy from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs July 18, 1938 and the views of the Department with respect thereto were transmitted to the French Government November 19, 1938.
A member of the Embassy staff called this morning upon the official in charge of the negotiations at the Office of Private Property and Interests and informally conveyed to him the import of the Department’s above-mentioned telegram.
This official indicated that the contents of the Embassy’s note of November 19th had only recently been received from the Ministry and that he had not yet examined the opinion of the Attorney General in all of its aspects. Nevertheless under this reserve he let it be understood that in the main it appeared to contain nothing to which the office could find serious objection or that might tend to prolong the negotiations. He appeared determined to do all possible to hasten the definite acceptance of the agreement by his Department but explained confidentially that while he would draft the reply of the Government within the next few days he feared that unless the managing committee of the Office of Private Property and Interests was spurred to prompt action delay might occur. For this reason and at his suggestion the import of the Department’s telegram is being formally embodied in a note to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
- Not printed.↩