800.6354/319: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
5676. Your 5799, December 1. Please convey the following message to the appropriate British authorities with the request that it be brought to the attention of the International Tin Committee and made part of the Committee’s records.
- 1.
- In view of the major position of the United States as a consumer of tin, the United States Government has naturally followed, with great interest, the steps leading up to the recommendation of a new agreement by the International Tin Committee to the Governments concerned for a further period of 5 years, beginning January 1, 1942. It is also noted with satisfaction the conclusion of the agreement of October 9, 1941 between Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Metals Reserve Company, and the International Tin Committee for the purchase of tin.
- 2.
- The United States Government has also noted the provision of Article Fourth–J of the agreement of October 9, 1941, referred to above, providing for effective consumer representation on the Committee and for consultation with the United States Government how best to effectuate suitable and adequate American consumer representation. The Department of State will, of course, be prepared at any time to consult with the Committee on this matter.
- 3.
- United States Government takes this occasion to express its expectation and confident anticipation that the operations of the Committee will at all times be so conducted as to assure adequate supplies of tin at a price reasonable to consumers and producers alike and available to all consumers on a non-discriminatory basis.
Today when the question of the terms of access to raw materials in the post war period is so important, as indicated by its incorporation in the Atlantic Charter,89 and as further evidenced by the great interest [Page 530] therein on the part of all free countries, this Government feels that a useful purpose may be served by a reiteration by it and by the International Tin Committee of the intention always to strive for these objectives.