661.6231/203: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany ( Kirk ) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 6—9:12 a.m.]
446. A source of information in close connection with German trade negotiations stated that it is probable that Germany would again shortly resume commercial negotiations with Russia but he added that he did not anticipate that any important results would follow. He remarked that on several occasions during the past 2 years both Germany and Russia had expressed interest in restoring their trade but that nothing of importance had resulted. He said that the fact was that Russia needed for her own military and industrial development most of the raw materials including petroleum products and manganese which Germany wanted to import from her and that furthermore [Page 323] during the last 2 years Russia had been unwilling to furnish in any considerable quantity materials that might directly or indirectly add to Germany’s military strength. The informant added that on the German side there is equal reluctance to sell to Russia the war matériel or machine tools and other products designed to build up Russia’s munition industry.