841.24/121: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 18—11:20 a.m.]
2783. Jean Monnet has been appointed by the French and British Governments head of the entire joint French-British organization for cooperation during the war which was announced last night. His main office will be in London.
I have reported so fully by letters and telegrams on this subject during the past months that little remains to be added. The single point which has not yet been cleared up is that of the mechanism for purchases in the United States.
In accordance with the opinions expressed in your number 1378, November 10, 6 p.m., the British and French are now considering tentatively an arrangement whereby synchronization between the British and French purchasing missions and synchronization with our own Government should be handled through a joint Franco-[Page 570]British board of which the chairman would be Arthur Purvis, Director General of Purchases of the British mission in the United States; and the vice chairman the head of the French Purchasing Mission for distribution.
Since Monnet is to be head of the entire organization in London both the French and British Governments consider it fitting that the head of the organization in the United States should be a British subject. Daladier however is most anxious to know whether Purvis will be in the highest degree persona grata to our Government before giving his consent to this arrangement. Daladier has requested me to find out urgently and ultra-confidentially if Purvis is a person who will receive the same sort of cooperation that was accorded to Monnet last winter—for which Daladier continues to be deeply grateful.
I hope that you will be able to let me have an entirely confidential reply to this inquiry of Daladier’s as soon as possible since no decision with regard to the purchasing agencies in the United States will be made until I have received your reply.47
Monnet will leave Paris for London tomorrow to set up the joint organization and probably will visit the United States early in December for brief conversations.
- The Department informed the Ambassador in France in telegram No. 1417, November 20, 6 p.m., that it approved the appointment of Mr. Purvis (851.24/106).↩