Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, General, Volume I

800.8840/1399: Telegram

The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State

Helsinki, September 24, 1939—noon.
[Received 1:05 p.m.]

193. With reference to the Legation’s telegram number 184, September 20,³⁶ in conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday he inquired with manifest anxiety whether the United States had any plans for maintaining maritime communications with neutral northern countries to insure essential supplies to them and exports from them. He did not conceal his hope that cooperation along these lines between the United States and the northern countries could be secured and told me that this matter among others had been discussed at the conference of northern Ministers at Copenhagen last week. I told the Minister that pending reconsideration by Congress of the so-called neutrality law I doubted whether it had been possible for our Government to formulate any such plans.³⁷

It is evident that in Finland, if not in the other northern countries, there is earnest hope that the United States will cooperate actively to maintain economic stability against the pressure which has already begun from belligerents.

Schoenfeld

36. Not printed.
37. Department’s telegram No. 113, October 2, 7 p.m., stated, in reply, that “final determination of the whole shipping question must await the outcome of Congressional consideration of amendments to Neutrality Bill and possible legislation on war risk insurance.”