851A.01/1–142
Draft Statement by the Secretary of State 1
Prior to the seizure last week, the main question of interest in this connection to Great Britain, Canada and the United States related to possible dangers to shipping from the operation of a wireless station originally installed to benefit French fishing vessels off the Great Banks of Newfoundland. There had been, during recent months, exchanges of views among these three interested Governments. The Government of the United States had been officially notified that the Free French forces would take no action with regard to these Islands. On December 24, however, the Free French proceeded, by force, to seize and occupy the Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon and to take charge of their entire affairs.
This act was committed without the knowledge or the consent in any sense of the United States Government. This Government immediately thereafter made clear that it was not a party to this action. This Government then proceeded to approach the British and the Canadians on the one hand and the Government at Vichy on the other and to urge a fair arrangement between all parties concerned which would safeguard Great Britain, Canada and the United States against danger to their shipping from the operation of the wireless station in question. This proposal would make all the more logical the prompt retirement of the Free French forces occupying these Islands. No material progress has yet been made with this proposal.
The United States Government was actuated in its course of opposition to the forcible seizure of these Islands by its treaty obligations expressed in the Habana Convention and by other important policies, agreements and plans relating to vitally important international phases of the war situation. For purposes of hemispheric defense, [Page 387] these Habana agreements specifically outlawed the use of force to effect “any transfer or attempted transfer of the sovereignty, jurisdiction, possession or any interest in or control over” any of the territories or possessions in the Americas which any of the belligerent nations abroad may possess. The seizure of the Islands of St. Pierre-Miquelon falls within these prohibitions.
It has been and still is the view of the Government of the United States that this matter pertaining to the operation of the wireless station in question could and should be settled amicably to the satisfaction of all persons and parties concerned, and that this course would definitely facilitate the conduct of the war.
- The draft statement, which is marked “Copy” and “Draft” and which bears the typewritten initials of Hull as drafter, has the penciled notation: “Copy to the President 1/1/42”. An earlier draft in the same file bears the notation, in Hull’s handwriting: “Original sent to President 1/1/42. CH.”↩