861.24/678: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 13—2:44 p.m.]
1796. Sir Stafford Cripps called to see me yesterday and on the basis of telegrams received by him from his Foreign Office and the British Embassy in Washington expressed concern at the possibility of delay in the shipment of war material from the United States to Russia through the failure to complete the financial arrangements. He said he “thought something ought to be done about the matter at once” and suggested that he or I discuss the subject with the Soviet authorities. I replied that as I was not familiar with the steps being taken to finance the Soviet purchases of war material in the United States and as I had no instructions on the subject, all I could do was to report his views to the Department.