611.6131/624a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)
945. 1. Notes dated August 2 continuing in force the commercial agreement of 1937 have been signed by Mr. Welles as Acting Secretary of State and the Soviet Ambassador and were made public today. The related notes exchanged in 1940 were omitted.
2. An exchange of notes dated August 2 has also been effected in which it was stated that the United States has decided to give all economic assistance practicable for the purpose of strengthening the Soviet Union in its struggle against armed aggression;97a that in order to implement this policy the Government of the United States is giving the most friendly consideration to requests from the Soviet Government relative to the placing of orders for materials urgently required for the national defense of the Soviet Union; and that the Government of the United States is giving favorable consideration to requests for the extension of available American shipping facilities.
3. Complete text of our note referred to in paragraph 2 and substance of the Department’s press release will be cabled you tomorrow.