851T.48/13: Telegram
The Ambassador in France ( Leahy ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:42 p.m.]
500. Monick,47 who is in Vichy for a few days, is greatly relieved at our decision to continue our program of supplying North Africa and naturally considers continuance there of the utmost importance for the future. He is considerably worried over the recent increase in members of the German Armistice Control Commission and likewise over the drift of developments in Spain and Spanish Morocco and reported German pressure in that direction. He has emphasized to us that in his opinion the time has arrived when some declaration of policy towards North and West Africa should be made, preferably all the American Republics, but if this impracticable, at least by the United States. This declaration he feels should take the form of [Page 322] insistence, in as strong language as seems practicable in the circumstances, that any change in the status quo in North Africa and West Africa including Dakar would constitute a menace to the security of the Western Hemisphere.
If possible, there should be, in his view, an indication that any threat to change that status quo would be regarded as threat to the safety of the American Republics requiring some offsetting action and indicating that acceptance of any such change by France, Spain and Spanish Morocco would alienate the friendship and economic cooperation of the Western Hemisphere which will otherwise be forthcoming.
Monick rightly or wrongly believes that the influence, at least the combined influence, of the Latin American Republics on Spain carries real weight and that such a declaration might weigh in the balance during the critical weeks ahead either with the mother country itself or with Spanish Morocco.
The second benefit which Monick regards as of even greater importance is the encouragement and strengthening effect which such declaration would have on General Weygand.48 He maintains that Weygand is developing rapidly and that his high sense of duty is bringing him to assume the real position of leadership which he must take if North Africa is not lost to the French.
He states that Marjolin49 is more or less familiar with his ideas on this particular matter but that they have taken more definite shape since Marjolin’s departure, particularly the thought of making the declaration, if practicable, a joint one of the American Republics.
He asked that his views and the importance he Attachés to them be brought to the Department’s attention.