611.8131/64a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Tangier (White)
74. You should seek an interview at once with M. Monick, Secretary General of the French Residency at Rabat, and, in referring to his conversation on November 6, 1940, with the American Chargé d’Affaires at Vichy,94 inform him orally that this Government has been concerned for some time with the difficult economic situation of French Morocco arising from the present international situation.
[Page 622]You should add that this Government is prepared to examine sympathetically any concrete proposals of the French Protectorate authorities looking to the amelioration of that situation by an exchange of goods between the United States and French Morocco under suitable guarantees that any goods which might be imported by French Morocco under such an arrangement would be used exclusively in French Morocco.
In your conversation you should make it clear that this Government sympathizes with the efforts which the French Protectorate authorities have been and are making in the face of the difficult situation with which they are confronted and that your Government is ready to endeavor to assist in any practical way in easing that situation so far as may be possible.
With reference to the specific products mentioned by M. Monick as available for export to the United States, it appears possible that manganese, graphite and zinc may be of interest to us. Before reaching any definite decision, however, it is necessary that we be informed of the ore content and price of the manganese, as well as the grade, source and price of the graphite, and whether the zinc is concentrates or slab.
Please endeavor to expedite your reply.