811.79682/14

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Henry S. Villard of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs

Mr. Firestone9a brought in a copy of an article which appeared in the New York Daily Mirror of September 21, 1940, pointing out the strategic importance to the United States of the Republic of Liberia on the west coast of Africa. Some of the statements made in this article were based on facts supplied by the Firestone organization, and Mr. Firestone desired to indicate that he was in entire accord with the description of Liberia as a point on which the defense of the Western Hemisphere might find support.

Mr. Firestone also brought in aerial photographs of the port of Marshall in Liberia, which he described as being suitable for seaplane landing operations. He had also obtained a report from an aviator who a few years ago made a photographic survey of Liberia for the Firestone Company and who expressed the opinion that Marshall, or possibly Monrovia, might be used for a seaplane base. Mr. Firestone inquired whether there was any possibility of an American airline running a service to Africa and stated that in his opinion such a service, using Liberia as first point of contact on the African continent, would be of very great value from the point of view of national defense and general strategy.

I then gave Mr. Firestone for his confidential information an outline of recent developments in connection with the desire of Pan-American Airways and American Export Lines to establish an air service from the United States to Africa. For background purposes I also outlined in confidence to Mr. Firestone the desire of the Spanish Government to inaugurate an airline from Seville to Rio Muni via Monrovia. I said that the Liberian Government had approached us for advice on this matter and had requested us to invite any American airlines that might be interested to use Liberia as an African terminal.

Mr. Firestone said that he was greatly interested to learn of these developments. He said that it would be of very considerable advantage to the Firestone Company if an American airline would offer a service to Liberia. The Firestone Company would send all its mail and express matter via plane in that case, and would assure the airline of a large percentage of its passenger list both coming and going. Mr. Firestone said that the present steamship services to West Africa were far from adequate for the Company’s purposes and that to speed up communication and transportation between the offices in this country and the Liberian Plantations it would be of the greatest assistance to have an air transport service.

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I suggested to Mr. Firestone the possibility of using Fisherman’s Lake in Liberia as a landing place. He replied that according to the report of his aviator, this body of water was deceptively shallow and filled with tree stumps which were not visible at high water. Although the size and situation of the Lake were practically ideal, it might not be possible to use it for landing purposes. It was agreed, however, that if an air service were seriously contemplated it would be necessary to conduct a careful survey of all possible landing sites in Liberia.

Mr. Firestone said he would be glad to talk to Mr. Juan Trippe, President of Pan-American Air Lines, with regard to the use of Liberia as a terminal. He said he would also be in a position to supply us with information as to the business which the Firestone Company could give to any American air line operating between the United States and Liberia. Finally, said Mr. Firestone, even if a trip were made only once a month he believed it would be worthwhile for this Government to subsidize such operations for the sake of having a foothold in Africa to offset the development of air lines across the South Atlantic by totalitarian powers. It was obvious that Liberia offered the only place in Africa where there would be some justification for the United States to interest itself.

  1. Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., president of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co.