867.24/178: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray)
163. Your 343, September 17, 1 p.m. The President’s report covering operations under the Lend-Lease Act for the quarter ending August 31 did not mention aid to Turkey since such aid was rendered through the British. However, consideration is now being given to making future aid available direct to Turkey, in which case Turkey would presumably be named in the next quarterly report.
As regards the mention of Greece and Yugoslavia in the report, it may be pointed out that they had actually been resisting aggression and therefore no question could be raised in any quarters regarding the propriety of extending direct aid to them.
The Department is making every effort to hasten action on a considerable list of pending applications for lend-lease aid to Turkey and hopes to have some very definite news for you shortly. Meanwhile, following are examples of applications filed on behalf of Turkey which have recently been approved: 134,890 feet of steel wire cable, 40 tons of glycerin, 10 rubber life boats for aircraft, 50 self-inflating life jackets, 475 truck tires, 420 car tires, and 15 motorcycle tires, 30 tons of trisodium phosphate, large quantity of jack bits, and hammers.
The Department will telegraph you further in the above regard in the near future.