854.24/37
Memorandum by Mr. Roy Veatch, of the Office of the Adviser on International Economic Affairs, to the Economic Adviser (Feis)
Mr. Feis: The Swiss Minister, Dr. Somary, and Mr. Liechti came to the Department Tuesday morning to discuss the drafting of a statement along the lines suggested by Mr. Sayre in our Monday afternoon conference. After discussion, they expressed their desire to handle the matter in the following way:
1. The Minister would address to the Secretary a communication setting forth the nature of Dr. Somary’s mission, including the desire [Page 863] of the Swiss Government to secure optional contracts for the supply of foodstuffs and materials (with the proposed list and amounts annexed) and for the charter of certain vessels. The letter would inquire then as to whether the Department saw objection to the negotiation of such contracts with private business interests in this country covering “any and all conditions which might arise.” The letter would then state the difficult position of Switzerland in case of a European conflict and the necessity of securing supplies from the United States. It would then raise the principal point in somewhat the following form:
“We would be very much interested to know the attitude of the United States Government regarding the execution of such contracts. In view of the dependence of Switzerland upon American supplies in such an emergency, we hope that nothing will be done by the American Government to prevent the carrying out of these contracts.”
The Minister’s letter would then close with an offer to supply this Government with copies of all contracts negotiated with American concerns, and a statement that the negotiators would be glad to suggest that the American concerns also supply the Department with copies of the contracts if the Department so desires.
2. The nature of the Department’s reply to such a letter from the Minister was discussed. Apparently Dr. Somary and the Minister would be pleased with a reply along the lines of the attached draft.3
3. I have agreed to go over this draft with them before sending it around the Department, although I stated that I would, of course, bring it to your attention first. They are now drafting their letter and intend to bring it to the Department as soon as it is ready.
4. We will then discuss the two drafts and after any desirable changes have been made, it is the plan to circulate both drafts in this Department for comment and criticism.
5. When both letters are in a form approved by the Department, then the Swiss Minister will send his letter to the Secretary.
- Not attached to file copy of this document.↩