810.20 Defense/39a Supplement

The Secretary of State to Diplomatic Officers in the American Republics

Sirs: Reference is made to the Department’s circular of June 15, 1940 (File no. 810.20 Defense/39A) on the purchase of armament from the United States Government.

There is enclosed a photostatic copy of a chart23 which has been approved by the Secretaries of State, War and of the Navy setting forth schematically the procedure for handling requests made by the American republics of this Government for assistance in the purchase of armament.

It will be noted that in the future lists for military and naval matériel should be submitted separately, and that these lists should be in quintuplicate in both languages, duly authenticated by the authorities of the government making the request.

It is believed that the later steps in the procedure after submission of the requests through the Department of State are clearly set forth in the diagram. It is hoped that by submitting copies of future requests to the appropriate officials of the War and Navy Departments at the same time that they are submitted to the Clearance Committee of the Army and Navy Recommendations Board, some time will be saved in obtaining action on these requests.

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For your own confidential information it may be added that an informal committee of the liaison officers of the State, War, and Navy Departments has been constituted which will act as a steering committee in obtaining prompt action on the requests. The functions of this committee do not appear on the chart.

Very truly yours,

For the Secretary of State:
Sumner Welles
  1. Not printed; this chart showed that requests would be forwarded from the field to the Department of State, where the requests would be reviewed before being sent on to the Army or Navy.