740.00112A European War, 1939/4124a
The Secretary of State to Diplomatic and Consular Officers in the American Republics
Sirs: Reference is made to the Strictly Confidential circular instruction entitled “Procedures and Policies on Maintenance of the Proclaimed List of Certain Blocked Nationals”, file no. 740.00112A European War 1939/966A, of August 28, 1941.
During the past three months the Department has continued a close exchange of views and information with the British Embassy and Canadian Legation in Washington with a view to bringing the maintenance and operation of the Proclaimed List, the British Statutory List and the Canadian List of Specified Persons into the most effective harmony. Section V of the circular instruction of August 28, 1941 indicated that the Department desired our missions to maintain close contact with the British missions for the full and free exchange of information on these matters and our missions were requested to indicate what action the British mission had taken or proposed to take on all cases proposed for addition to or deletion from the Proclaimed List. The Department now desires to reemphasize the necessity for this being done by all the missions in order that the two lists may be speedily brought into more effective harmony.
The British Embassy here has informed the Department that the Ministry of Economic Warfare in London now proposes to add to the British Statutory List all cases appearing on the Proclaimed List and any subsequent additions to the Proclaimed List without waiting for a full presentation of the information which resulted in these cases being placed on the Proclaimed List. The Department and the Interdepartmental Committee on the Proclaimed List are not at present prepared to follow a similar policy of automatically including all Statutory List cases on the Proclaimed List, but we desire to achieve the same result wherever such action would be in line with our basic listing policies as set forth in the circular instruction of August 28, 1941. Since the basic British and American listing policies are now closely in harmony it is believed that this result can be reached if our exchanges of information and views on individual cases [Page 311] are further developed in the field and in Washington. To this end you are accordingly requested:
- (1)
- To have the officers handling Proclaimed List matters arrange for regular consultations with your British colleagues for the purpose of maintaining a full and free exchange of information and views on all cases.
- (2)
- To review all cases now on the British Statutory List not appearing on the Proclaimed List and furnish the Department with a full report of all information available to you and your British colleague on these cases with your recommendation concerning their inclusion on the Proclaimed List.
- (3)
- To inform your British colleague in the future of all cases which you recommend for addition to or deletion from the Proclaimed List and furnish him with any pertinent information on which your recommendation is based. Also to keep your British colleague informed of proposed additions and deletions as you are notified of the Interdepartmental Committee’s action. These exchanges should, of course, be arranged on a reciprocal basis and you should forward to the Department full information on all cases which the British may subsequently propose for addition or deletion with your recommendation.
It is believed that cooperation in the field along the foregoing lines and within the limitations stated in the circular instruction of August 28, 1941 will make both the Proclaimed List and the Statutory List more effective and avoid for the most part the problems created for both when divergent action is taken in Washington and London on these matters. This cooperation does not, however, contemplate that our actions will be simultaneous or that they will necessarily be identical in all cases, but it is designed to reduce the divergencies between the lists so far as is compatible with our respective interests and independent judgments.
The Ministry of Economic Warfare in London has arranged to have a representative from the American Embassy in London sit in as an observer at meetings of the Black List Committee. This observer will be kept generally informed of our policies and procedures, and he will keep the Department informed on important developments in London. However, it is considered essential by the British and Canadian Governments and ourselves that in the interest of efficient operation the exchanges on particular cases should take place primarily between the respective missions in the first place and in the second place between the Department and the British and Canadian authorities in Washington. Accordingly, the Department will continue to keep the British Embassy and Canadian Legation here closely informed of all cases which are being considered for addition or deletion and we will make available to them the pertinent information on such cases.
[Page 312]The British authorities have expressed the hope that this Government would be prepared to act favorably on removing cases from the Proclaimed List where the British have accepted undertakings from the firm with a view to delisting the firm from the Statutory List. The Department and the Interdepartmental Committee feel that no general position can be taken on this question at this time, but that it is merely one aspect of the general problem of developing closer collaboration in the field and here. Accordingly, you should keep your British colleague closely informed on any assurances or undertakings which we are considering and request him to keep you similarly informed in order that the Department and London may be fully informed of any divergencies of views on particular cases before final action is taken by either.
Very truly yours,