Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

840.50/724

The Chairman of the Inter-Allied Committee on Post-War Requirements (Leith-Ross) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Acheson)

Washington, September 3, 1942.

My Dear Acheson:

1. I saw Atherton^35a this morning and he told me that the Secretary of State and the Vice-President³⁶ discussed the Draft Agreement with the President yesterday and that the President was interested in the Draft and had wished the discussions to be pursued. I take it that you will now communicate the revised Draft formally to the British, Soviet and Chinese Ambassadors and invite their views upon it.

2. Atherton also handed me a draft statement³⁷ approved by the Secretary of what I could report to the Allied Committee about my conversations here. After reading this statement I told him that it seemed in some respects to be going back on the proposals in Mr. Winant’s memorandum of the 11th May.³⁸ However, the last thing that His Majesty’s Government wished to do was to cause any embarrassment to the Administration; and if this statement represented the furthest that the Administration felt able to go vis-à-vis the Allied Governments, I should have to make the best of it. But it seemed to me that some of the phrases used would be a cold douche to the Allied Governments and I hoped that I could be free to tone them down so as to take account of the atmosphere in London, provided, of course, that I did not go beyond what was authorised in the draft. I should welcome it if you can send me a message giving me discretion in regard to this.

3. There is one further point which I should like to clear up. When I saw you on the 20th August I mentioned to you that I was being strongly pressed to set up technical Sub-Committees of the Allied Post War Requirements Committee to deal with Nutrition, Medical Services and Inland Transport in Europe, and that in view of the probable delay in setting, up any United Nations Organisation, I felt that I could no longer hold up the appointment of these Sub-Committees, which were needed to carry forward the work on estimates of requirements. I understood that you agreed to this and I have so informed London.

4. I mentioned that we had thought of inviting an American representative to act as Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Nutrition and I mentioned various names. I understood you to say that you would not object to an American Chairman, if that was desired, and that you would ask the Surgeon-General for his views as to possible names. From what I have heard, Dr. Penrose,³⁹ who is in London, would make a very suitable Chairman and would be willing to serve. I should be glad to know whether his nomination would be agreeable to you or whether you have any other suggestion. I understand that the Joint Food Board are interested in this question and I am informing the British member of the Board of the position.

I take the opportunity to bid you farewell and to thank you for all the time and trouble which you have given to these discussions.

Yours sincerely,

F. W. Leith-Ross

1. Ray Atherton, Acting Chief of the Division of European Affairs.
36. Henry A. Wallace.
37. Draft statement not found in Department files. For text of statement delivered at the Third Meeting of the Inter-Allied Committee, October 1, see p. 139.
38. See telegram No. 1995, May 7, 6 p.m., to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom, p. 103, and telegram No. 2693, May 15, 10 p.m., from the Ambassador, p. 108.
39. Ernest F. Penrose, Special Assistant, American Embassy, London.