868.24/145
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
The British Ambassador97a called to see me this afternoon at my request.
The Ambassador stated that Mr. Purvis had received an urgent request from London to obtain the support of this Government in trying to procure through certain of the Latin American Governments 75 millimeter mountain guns which are urgently needed by the Greeks, with the understanding that the British would replace such guns as were made available. I told the Ambassador that my suggestion was that Mr. Purvis see General Marshall98 personally, because General Marshall is fully familiar with the Latin American aspect of our military problem and would know whether it was worth while to make this attempt. I said that I personally would be glad to be of assistance but that I did not have the technical knowledge which was at the disposition of the War Department.