740.00112 European War 1939/5315: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 21—4:42 p.m.]
253. From Murphy. My 248 to the Under Secretary. Our friends suggest that we should allay Laval’s suspicions regarding whatever may be our eventual intentions concerning French North Africa. They suggest that if possible the two ships which are understood to be ready to sail be allowed to depart from New York for Casablanca as their importance is negligible. Their departure would encourage Laval to believe that we intend to cooperate. It is also suggested that I send to the Department in a code which we know the French censors will decipher several recommendations to the effect that we cooperate with the Laval Government in respect of North Africa. This would be designed to gain time and enable us to maintain our position in French North Africa until we may be able to take a decision on other questions.
The foregoing appears to deserve sympathetic consideration and I shall send two or three messages in gray, marked for the Under Secretary, urging economic support for this area.
Repeated to Vichy. [Murphy.]