740.00112 European War 1939/4106
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Villard)
Mr. Marchal and Mr. Guérin47 came in to discuss the present position with regard to the program of economic aid to North Africa. I said that until the facts became clearer in respect to developments following the dismissal of General Weygand, the Department was taking no action, and that the plan was considered to be in suspense. In respect to a further specific question, I said that I hoped we might be able to reach some decision in the early part of next week, in order that some word might be given to the two French vessels now in New York, which had returned from Casablanca and were awaiting another cargo.
Mr. Marchal said that he would like to stress the importance of continuing the economic plan. He pointed out that by discontinuing the shipments we are fulfilling the desires of the Germans and we would soon be creating an atmosphere of disillusionment on the part of the French people. Mr. Marchal said that the question was an important one, since by permitting these shipments to go forward again the French critics of the United States and the collaborationists would be silenced.
Mr. Marchal also pointed out that the commodities being sent to North Africa were of no consequence whatever from a military point of view, that they were intended for consumption by the native population, and that if unrest developed among the Arabs the likelihood of the French authorities’ being able to control the situation would be so much the more diminished. Commodities such as tea, sugar, cotton fabrics, et cetera, were urgently needed by the natives, and the very small amounts even of these products which had been going forward could not conceivably have any effect on the military situation, even if they all fell into the hands of the Germans.
Mr. Guérin suggested that Ambassador Leahy should be instructed to seek renewed assurances from Marshal Pétain, that North African territory would not be given to the Germans for use as a military base. Mr. Guérin said he realized that the entire plan of economic aid depended on the action of the French Government in respect to its territory in Africa, as well as on the use to which the French Navy might be put. Neither Mr. Marchal nor Mr. Guérin believed that Marshal Pétain would give bases to the Germans in North Africa, or that the French Navy would be turned over to the Germans. Mr. Guérin felt, [Page 492] however, that as a condition to resumption of the plan the Vichy Government should be required to renew its assurances to the United States that it would not pass beyond the strict terms of the Armistice.
Mr. Marchal said that he wished to stress the very serious need of petroleum products in the event the plan was resumed. He said that it was his earnest hope that the Lorraine would be permitted to take the cargo which had been authorized, and that a plan would be worked out for the disposition of the Schéhérazade. I said that there was some evidence to indicate that the petroleum products which had gone forward to Morocco had in part been used to facilitate mining operations, and that the products of the mines might be eventually turned over to the Axis. Mr. Marchal suggested that resumption of petroleum shipments should be made conditional on assurances that there would be no export whatever of minerals from North Africa, and that the transportation of minerals produced in Morocco should in any case not be permitted to go as far as the ports but should stop at Marrakech.
Mr. Guérin suggested as a further condition to be exacted from the French Government for the resumption of the plan that assurances be given for proper publicity. He said that most of the inhabitants of North Africa, as well as France, were ignorant of the fact that supplies had been delivered from America. He felt it to be of the utmost importance that the French authorities be ordered to permit publication in the newspapers of the news that supplies had been delivered from the United States.
As a final point, Mr. Guérin urged strongly that American vessels be permitted to deliver the supplies direct to North Africa. I asked whether supplies could be successfully distributed if they were landed by American vessels at Tangier. Mr. Marchal said that the effect of this would be even greater than if vessels came into Casablanca, since at the former port the vessels could be plainly seen by all the inhabitants, whereas at the latter the wharves were so obscured from the public view that no one except a few officials knew when a steamer arrived.
- Léon Marchal and Paul Guérin, French Embassy officials responsible for North African affairs.↩