740.0011 European War 1939/24427: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Tuck) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:50 p.m.]
1404. I saw Laval yesterday afternoon and left with him a memorandum conveying the purport of the Department’s 579, September 19, 8 p.m.
Laval stated that in our conversation, as reported in my 1315, September 7, 8 p.m., he had not stated that the ship owners in question had agreed to charter these vessels to the German Government under pressure. Had he been so informed it would have been easier to refute German demands. In fairness to Laval I believe that I was in error in attributing to him the statement that the chartering of these vessels had been made under pressure. The confusion may have been due to the fact that a reliable informant in the Foreign Office assured me confidentially at that time that this was the case.
Our Government’s views have now been referred by Laval to Rochat who informed me this morning that he was taking the matter up with Admiral Auphan, Minister of Marine, and that we could expect an answer shortly.