740.00112 European War 1039/5798: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:01 p.m.]
401. From Murphy. In connection with the Department’s decision announced in its June 11 to resume shipments to North Africa competent officials whom I have contacted during my recent visits to Tunisia and Morocco as well as in Algeria express gratification and appreciation. There is no doubt that the decision has done much already to increase their sympathy for the Allied cause. It has definitely augmented American prestige and strengthened French confidence in the United States. It serves as a counterweight to the military news from Libya which exerts a depressing effect. Many officials said, quite sincerely, I believe, that the decision gave them fresh inspiration to oppose anything savoring of concession to the Axis.
Secretary General Admiral Fénard68 on my return to Algiers discussed a telegram from the French Embassy, Washington, indicating that the Department had offered to give favorable consideration to the shipment of petroleum products if the French authorities would promise to prevent shipments of minerals from North Africa, especially cobalt and molybdenum. He told me confidentially that Vichy has just agreed to the shipment of 2300 tons of gasoline from France to North Africa for use exclusively in harvesting the current cereal crops in the three territories. He [Page 317] said that this is gasoline delivered to France by Germany. He considers it unfortunate that France has to depend on Germany for gasoline for the use of French North Africa.
Fénard is recommending urgently to Vichy that the restriction against the shipment of Moroccan minerals be accepted but he points out that the fly in the ointment is the fact that if the operation of our accord is too unfavorable to the Germans they through the Armistice Commission will probably refuse authorization for French ships to move in the Casablanca–New York traffic. His argument and that of others is that a bold supply program on our part without hedging it by conditions arousing immediate German opposition will pay us ample political dividends over the long term. The Department has been furnished complete data regarding the prevailing adverse situation throughout French North Africa in respect of liquid fuels.
Repeated to Vichy, copies to North African offices. [Murphy.]
- Vice Adm. Jacques Fénard, Secretary General for French Africa.↩