740.00112A European War 1039/5181b
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of Commerce (Jones)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Shortly after the issuance of the President’s proclamation of July 17, 1941, authorizing the issuance of a Proclaimed List of Certain Blocked Nationals it became apparent that a rigid application of the proclamation with respect to certain Proclaimed List nationals in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Haiti would have resulted in serious dislocations of the national economies of such [Page 314] countries. In order to achieve the objectives of the proclamation, with due regard to the national economies of the other American republics, plans were formulated and are now in operation in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Haiti with this end in view. Under these plans controls have been imposed by the local governments on the activities of certain Proclaimed List nationals located in these countries. The products of firms on the Proclaimed List which are subject to such controls are not forbidden entry into the United States merely by virtue of such fact. In addition exports from the United States for such firms are permitted under certain circumstances.
In the belief that you may consider it desirable to inform American concerns engaged in the importation and exportation of articles from and to such countries of the existence of these plans, I am enclosing a memorandum44 on the subject for such use as you may care to make of it.
Sincerely yours,
Assistant Secretary
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