611.8131/50: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Matthews) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:30 p.m.]
904. My telegram No. 432, August 26, 8 p.m. Monick, Secretary General of Morocco, and his Chef de Cabinet, Marjolin (who was Jean Monnet’s assistant in London), arrived in Vichy yesterday and came to see me this morning.
Monick again talked of the importance of closer economic relations between French Morocco and the United States, that Morocco had to look to the Atlantic, et cetera. He then turned to specific questions. He states that in spite of the new policy of Franco-German collaboration he has up to the present complete liberty of action. Negotiations have been practically concluded for the sale of 2,500 tons of cobalt ore to the Japanese. He has he says prevented the shipment of this ore on one excuse or another notably difficulties of receiving payment but says that he cannot continue to block the transaction indefinitely. He states that this cobalt ore is now at Casablanca ready for shipment [Page 613] and urges emphatically that if possible we purchase it. He would prefer that the transaction be arranged through private interests in order to avoid possible “political difficulties”, German objections, et cetera. Negotiations could be conducted through L’Omnium Nord Africaine of which M. Epinat is the principal owner. The ore contains an average of 10 to 12% pure metal. The price offered by the Japanese is $2.12 per kilo of pure metal or a total of some $800,000. He suggests that payment could be made by opening a free account for the Banque d’Etat du Maroc with the Franco-American Banking Corporation and definite assurances would be given by him to employ the proceeds for the purchase of products principally sugar and gasoline to be consumed solely in Morocco. As for transportation, which is a difficult problem, he said that there is a French ship—the Montagel, he believes—which is sailing for Martinique in 2 or 3 weeks’ time on which it could be transported.
While this deal, he said, is one of considerable urgency as his hand may be forced at any moment he considers the whole question of increasing Moroccan-American trade of the greatest importance as a means of maintaining Moroccan “independence”. In answer to my questions as to what Laval might have in mind in the way of Franco-German “colonial” collaboration (my telegram 865, November 1, 4 p.m.85) he said that as yet he had no information whatsover. It would however, greatly strengthen his hand and his policy of maintaining a “free” Morocco if he could show that whereas neither Germany nor France could furnish the imports so vital to the country’s existence these could be obtained from the United States. He said that he had urged on Reed of the Vacuum Oil Company to go to the United States and endeavor to obtain from his principals some authorization to ship gasoline which is so badly needed in Morocco; he had given the most complete assurances with the authority of the French Government that it would be consumed solely in Morocco. Reed, he said, has been gone a month, and while it was understood that he would telegraph Monick “feasible” or “not feasible”, he has as yet received no word.
He said the following products are now available in Morocco some or all of which he hoped could be purchased by American interests: manganese 58,000 tons, of which 30,000 at port; iron ore 90,000 of which 45,000 at port; lead 25,000, of which 17,000 at port; cobalt, including the above 2,860, of which 2,500 at port; zinc 3,310 at port; antimony 180 at port; graphite 50 at port; vanadium 27 at port (he has no figures on stocks at the mines of the last four products).
[Page 614]I asked as to the probable English attitude with regard to Moroccan-American trade and he said that he did not think that it had been taken up and that it was politically impracticable to have direct Moroccan-British conversations. He felt, however, that with the assurances—and he spoke of control by some American observer—that the products would be consumed solely in Morocco, it was to the British advantage of keeping Morocco free and satisfied; that in case of any unrest or modification in the status of Morocco, the English would presumably not be the beneficiaries. If Morocco could not trade with us, he said, she would probably be compelled to sell her products to Germany; he did not know what plans might be in the wind for such trade but at least for the time being he had not been stopped from trading with us and any hopes in that direction might be helpful in trying to block a deal with Germany.
With reference to my telegram 766, October 17, 9 p.m.86 Monick said he knew nothing of the Pellenc project and that Pellenc was not a person to be taken seriously.
As to the political situation he said that sentiment in Morocco was overwhelmingly anglophile; that this included civil officials, the army, the air corps and the natives; the sole exception was the navy which he said remained decidedly hostile to the British. He states that General Weygand and General Noguès (who is due here for a conference Thursday or Friday; Admiral Esteva87 has already arrived from Tunis) have made it clear that they cannot accept any German “foothold” in Morocco. Although the Spanish have some nine divisions in Spanish Morocco he does not anticipate difficulties in the immediate future on that score.
- Not printed; in this telegram the Chargé reported a press statement by Laval with the following quotation: “In every domain and especially in the economic sphere and the colonial sphere we have envisaged and will continue to examine in what practical forms our collaboration may serve the interests of France, of Germany, and of Europe.” (740.00119 European War 1939/560)↩
- Not printed.↩
- Jean Pierre Esteva, Kesident General of Tunisia.↩