810.20 Defense/197/14: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Uruguay (Wilson)

88. Your 162, July 15, 6 p.m. The Army and Navy Munitions Board is at present examining the Uruguayan request for information and advice with respect to the purchase of airplanes, enclosed with your despatch no. 398 of July 1, 1940.35 Private manufacturers are being consulted in an effort to discover what companies could make deliveries within a reasonable period and how the most advantageous prices could be obtained for the Uruguayan Government. It is hoped that specific data can be forwarded to the Uruguayan Government through the Legation not later than July 30.

For your own confidential information, Congress is being asked to authorize the Export-Import Bank to grant credit for the purchase of munitions by governments of the other American republics in this country. While the funds which will be available for such purposes will necessarily be limited, an effort will be made to use them as advantageously as possible in the broad interest of hemisphere defense.

Welles
  1. Not printed.