800.6354/137: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 4—8:10 a.m.]
1424. Your 758, September 2, regarding tin; and your 774 [772], September 3, 4 p.m., regarding rubber.84 The war has not only closed the Rubber and Tin Exchanges but has created great dislocation in the Government departments concerned with these and other matters. Officials are being transferred to newly created departments such as the Ministry of Economic Warfare and Blockade; in many cases they are unreachable and in any case they are snowed under by a host of problems they have no time to deal with. Further dislocation will be caused when the air bombardments begin. However, I have represented the importance to us of action as regards both rubber and tin and as soon as the position clarifies itself a little I shall do so again. In the meantime I should like to know whether we will have sufficient shipping accommodation so that if necessary we can send our own ships to Malaya to get supplies.