Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1940, General and Europe, Volume II

611.8131/65: Telegram

The Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Tangier (White) to the Secretary of State

Tangier, December 10, 1940—3 p.m.
[Received December 11—2:08 p.m.]

79–81.⁶ On the 6th I apprised the Secretary General of the contents of the Department’s telegraphic instruction 74, November [December] 2, 9 p.m., and on the 7th he handed me two unsigned memoranda, one general and the other technical, at the same time expressing his lively gratitude to the Department.

M. Monick devoted considerable eloquence to the side of restoring United States-French Moroccan trade, the principle of which has received the approval of the French Chief of State, and which he hopes may develop eventually prewar dimensions. He felt that were French Morocco to resume its transatlantic trade this would be most effective anti-German propaganda for France. He desires trade to be started as soon as possible. The following are the essential provisions of both memoranda as elucidated by verbal explanations:

1. Moroccan exports to the United States.

(a) Ores. The North African Omnium has a representative (Henschel, if I am not mistaken) in Lisbon whom the Government of the Protectorate has instructed to represent it on all questions concerning ores. Being under the impression that American exports are also going to Lisbon (I gather in connection with Canadian cobalt deals) he suggests that deals be arranged at Lisbon. Meantime the following data has been supplied in reply to the Department’s specific question of manganese ores:

(1) 30 to 35 percent poor calcareous: 280 francs f. o. b. Nemours, 33,947 tons available.

(2) 35 percent to 40 percent roasted: 700 tons at 400 francs f. o. b. Nemours.

(3) 52 percent lead 1 percent powdery: 35,795 tons at $25 c. i. f. United States of America.

(4) Dioxide 72 to 92 percent: 3,063 tonnage, 1,100 francs f. o. b.

(5) 46 percent silicon 15 percent lead 8 percent rock: 14,020 tons selling at $20 c. i. f. the United States or $16 f. o. b. Spanish ports.

(6) 49 percent rich rocky ores: 1,070 tons, $25 c. i. f.

(7) 50 percent rich but much Si: 1,497 tons available, no prices stated.

Zinc ores, concentrates only no slabs and all unroasted—52 to 54 percent: 3,060 tons, 1,500 francs free on board; 48 percent: 500 tons, 1,300 francs free on board; 55 percent with some sulphur: 1,348 tons, 1,500 francs free on board. Graphite is a poor grade of amorphous: 190 tons, 1,600 francs free on board.

(b) Other products. Specially mentioned are vegetable fiber, hides, cork, worked leather, seeds (grains). For these and all other products other than ores, Paul Guerin, agent of the Moroccan Railroad Company, for which he is now in the United States to purchase coal, is suggested as the intermediary. The Protectorate Government would like to have a 6 months’ program of American purchases.

2. American exports to Morocco.

(a) The Protectorate Government requests that American licenses to export be issued permitting early exportation of the shipments already arranged for as follows: “$50,000 worth of tin ordered from the United States Steel Export Company, New York; sugar from North American Sugar Corporation $120,000; ditto from Golodetz and Company 152,000; spare parts for agricultural implements from Ford Motor Company and Champion spark 16,250; total 338,250. [”]

[b] Authorization is requested forthwith for a shipment of 13,800 tons of gasoline and gas oil by Socony-Vacuum which has been brought to the attention of the Department already.

(c) The Government of the Protectorate will shortly complete program of American purchases for the first 6 months of 1941.

(d) The undertaking not to re-export is given for all of the foregoing.

(e) All orders for the United States given by businessmen in French Morocco must have import licenses from the local authorities, a copy of which could be given Consulate at Casablanca (as this proviso raises the question of treaty rights I have translated the following from the general memorandum: “It is essential to maintain as far as possible the principles upon which the traditional policy of the United States as well as the juridical statute of Morocco are based”, see Department’s instruction No. 1066, March 20, 1940⁷).

3. Financing.

(a) For all questions arising under this head, Jean de Sieyes, President of the French American Banking Corporation which is the agent of Moroccan State Bank, is suggested as the representative.

(b) At present French Morocco has an unblocked balance in the United States of $300,000 which about equals purchases already authorized. The release of $200,000 more is requested to cover cost gasoline above mentioned.

(c) Pending American purchases in Morocco, the payment for which would provide funds, the Government of the Protectorate requests liberation of 500,000 dollars solely for purchases in the United States.

4. Transportation.

For oil supplies the Government of the Protectorate is willing to send a French merchant tanker. For other products a neutral ship would be necessary (I gather to prevent the Germans claiming that the British might seize French vessels), the latter would carry nothing but American and Moroccan merchandise and would not touch at intermediary ports. The Department is requested to arrange with the British authorities for some kind of a general authorization granted for its voyages since navy certificates are forbidden by Wiesbaden and insistence upon them would in the opinion of Monick, wreck the whole project.

If any guarantees against non-reexportation additional to what has been noted above and in my despatches 19, September 6, pages 8 and 9⁸ and 31, September 16,⁹ pages 3 and 4 are required the Department should specify the same.

Reed of Socony-Vacuum Oil Company considers that he and Thayer, Shell manager, could easily and effectively check on petroleum products.

It is suggested that message in regard to the foregoing pass through the Consulate at Casablanca and that there should be no cables en clair, Monick does not even trust all of his own clerical staff.

White

6. Three sections sent as separate telegrams: section I as No. 79; section II as No. 80, December 11, 9 a.m.; and section III as No. 81, December 11, 5 p.m.
7. Vol. iii , section under Morocco entitled “Spanish occupation and control of the Tangier Zone …”
8. Portion entitled “The Blockade of Morocco Superfluous as a World War Measure”, ante, p. 584.
9. Not printed.