740.00111A Combat Areas/62
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)
The Irish Minister called to see me today, at his request. He referred to his earlier conversation indicating that Ireland objected to being included within the danger area. He wished to know whether there were anything new.
I said that the question had, of course, received consideration. On the other hand, it had to be realized that the danger in the area marked out by the President was steadily growing; the free mines had made their appearance and none of us as yet had any knowledge as to the areas which would be covered. In accordance with the President’s statement that he would conform the danger zones to actual danger as circumstances might appear, I hoped that the Irish Minister would feel confident that we would watch the situation and that no one would be happier than we if the actual circumstances warranted modification of the danger zone so as to increase the possibilities of traffic between neutrals.
He referred, likewise, to his earlier conversation in which he had expressed the hope that we might lift our passport requirements, permitting Americans to travel to Ireland. I said that we had asked for information from our people abroad, with a view to gathering the data on which the question of passport controls could be reviewed.
The Minister then brought up the subject of the proposed air transport lines. He pointed out that, acting on the assumption that the landing rights which this government had negotiated for in 1935 would be used, considerable amounts of money had been invested in putting the Shannon air field in condition. Further, if flights were to be commenced in 1940, certain additional work had to be done and therefore the Minister hoped we could give him some indication as [Page 713] to whether the danger area would be continued so as to prevent air flights. He pointed out that there was a distinct difference between air hazard and marine hazard as matters now stand.
I told him I was entirely sympathetic to his point of view; that I thought the time had come when we ought to consider whether there was the same degree of danger in the air as there was at sea; and that I would bring the subject up for consideration.
The Minister referred briefly to the fact that the Export Lines apparently were contemplating (whenever possible) service to Ireland, much as the Pan-American Airways had done. They had indicated that they were prepared to maintain winter service, which Pan-Air was not. I pointed out that the whole matter of the Export Lines’ participation was now before the Civil Aeronautics Authority, which naturally had to determine a number of questions, including the financial responsibility and technical ability of the Export Lines, and so forth. I presumed we would have a decision on that point within a few weeks.
Note. It seems to me that the Inter-Departmental Committee should reconsider the question as to whether air traffic into the west of Ireland is dangerous. As matters now stand, I question whether air traffic into Ireland is any more dangerous than air traffic to, say, Lisbon, or any other place. There is plainly emerging a distinct difference in conditions between air and sea transport; and it is not inconceivable that the danger area could be profitably modified accordingly.