857.24/55a
The Secretary of State to the Norwegian Ambassador ( Morgenstierne )30
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to his Excellency the Ambassador of Norway and has the honor to refer to the department’s note of July 3, 1942 reciting certain undertakings given by M. Morgenstierne on behalf of his Government in connection with the Norwegian supply program. The first of these related to the temporary postponement of further purchases of supplies by the Royal Norwegian Government for post-war use pending formulation of a broad international relief program. It seems desirable, however, to establish an interim procedure which will enable the Royal Norwegian Government to proceed with its purchasing plans in harmony with the United Nations’ procurement of materials necessary to their war effort.
For the attainment of this end, Mr. Hull suggests that in the future all intended purchases of the Royal Norwegian Government should be notified to the appropriate Combined Board before they are undertaken. [Page 126] For this purpose it is suggested that the Royal Norwegian Government should notify the State Department (or the appropriate Ministry in London) of all such intended purchases, giving in each case the quantities, grades, desired delivery dates, price limits, and the name of the countries in which such purchases are projected. Following receipt of such notification of intention, the Royal Norwegian Government would be promptly advised of the status of each such commodity in the United Nations’ war procurement plans, with a recommendation as to the procedure to be followed.
Mr. Hull assumes that the intended commodity purchases will readily fall into one of three classifications. The first category will include all commodities so vital to the United Nations’ war effort and in such short supply that an accumulation for the purpose of creating a postwar stockpile would seriously impair the war effort of the United Nations. In this same classification would fall commodities currently subject to purchase agreements by this Government or the British Government, and likewise commodities concerning which negotiations looking toward purchase agreements are underway or contemplated. It is proposed that the Royal Norwegian Government when informed that a particular commodity desired fell into this classification should agree to a complete abstention from any buying activity. In such cases the United States Government, however, would agree to exert its best efforts, within the limitation of supply conditions then existing, to meet the desired requirements of the Royal Norwegian Government upon the direct application of the Royal Norwegian Government.
The second broad category into which it is presumed commodities would fall would be composed of materials not seriously in short supply but in which the situation is such that this Government or the British Government is actively buying from time to time or contemplates doing so at some future time. It is suggested, therefore, that the Royal Norwegian Government would agree not to enter such markets without the approval of this Government, which on its part would undertake promptly to inform the Royal Norwegian Government of the purchasing method which under the circumstances gave the greatest assurance of the maintenance of an orderly market. This might entail either the consolidation of the intended purchases of the Royal Norwegian Government with purchases of this Government, or it might involve specific acquiescence on the part of this Government in independent action by the Royal Norwegian Government.
Finally, there would remain a limited group of commodities the situation of which would be such that there would appear to be no possible conflict with the war effort if the Royal Norwegian Government were to operate freely. In such cases the Royal Norwegian Government would be promptly so informed.
[Page 127]In order to deal with the matter of existing purchase contracts entered into by the Royal Norwegian Government, it is requested that, in addition to the information which the Norwegian Embassy agreed to supply the Department of State, there should be included a schedule of contracts entered into by the Royal Norwegian Government, which would clearly distinguish between those items and quantities currently held or scheduled for immediate delivery and those items and quantities the contract for which calls for future delivery with, in such cases, the designation of the dates of delivery. In addition, Mr. Hull would appreciate being furnished a schedule of all other commodities and/or quantities which the Royal Norwegian Government desires to purchase in order to complete its presently projected stockpiling program. Where possible, details should be given as to the countries in which such purchases are contemplated and the grades, quantities, etc. of each commodity in which purchases are intended.
The Department of State has reason to believe that the British Government would be glad to cooperate in the arrangement suggested above and is accordingly furnishing it a copy of this note.
In connection with the fourth of the undertakings referred to in Mr. Hull’s note of July third, appreciation is again expressed of the generous offer to make available at cost price, in the currency paid, any needed for war purposes. [Here follows information as to some specific commodities the United States Government wished to procure from the Norwegian Government.]
Mr. Hull takes this opportunity to renew his assurances to Mr. Morgenstierne that the Department of State continues to be ready whenever requested by the Royal Norwegian Government to render all possible assistance in the procurement of supplies immediately needed by the Norwegian Merchant Marine or armed forces, and that none of the foregoing suggestions for the establishment of an interim procedure for dealing with the desired purchases of commodities by the Norwegian Government for post-war relief purposes are intended to apply to the procurement of supplies for the immediate needs of the Norwegian Government.
If the suggestions contained in this note meet with the approval of the Royal Norwegian Government, the Department of State will assume the responsibility for securing in future a prompt reply as to status and procedure in the case of any commodity which the Royal Norwegian Government through the Ambassador of Norway informs the Department of its desire to purchase. It is needless to add that in all matters affecting applications by the Royal Norwegian Government concerning purchases for post-war relief identical treatment will be accorded to such applications as to those of any other of the United Nations.
- Similar notes were sent to the Netherlands Ambassador on August 20, and to the Belgian Ambassador on September 25.↩