740.00112 European War 1939/63316/7
Memorandum by the Acting Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Villard) 5
Captain Strubel of the Navy called me on the telephone this morning regarding the amount of fuel oil to be given at Aruba to the two French vessels about to sail for North Africa under the economic accord. He said that he had been greatly confused by conversations with the Treasury and the Board of Economic Warfare as to the amount of fuel to be permitted and that he felt the various objections which had been raised by members of those organizations were delaying and hampering the prompt sailing of the vessels. Captain Strubel expressed a desire to deal directly [Page 349] with one authority on this matter, preferably someone in the State Department.
I told Captain Strubel of the President’s instructions that the economic program should be carried out without further interruption or delay. He replied that the Navy would be only too glad to go along in the matter to eliminate the interminable discussions as to details and quantities of fuel required for the round trip. He pointed out, however, that the Treasury Department controlled funds which the French Embassy was using to purchase the fuel oil and that it could withhold its consent to the purchase of fuel beyond an amount which it might consider desirable.
I believe that in view of the control thus exercised by the Treasury it will be necessary to inform some high official of that department regarding the President’s directive if we are to avoid last minute hold ups and discussions. Captain Strubel cited the example of the Ile de Noirmoutier which desires to take on enough fuel to call at Algiers as well as Casablanca. This has been the subject of protracted discussion with the Board of Economic Warfare and the British Embassy. I told Captain Strubel that in view of the President’s instructions and telegram no. 495 of July 29 from Mr. Robert Murphy, copy of which is attached,6 the Ile de Noirmoutier should be permitted to load sufficient fuel to make the call at Algiers and to return to a port in this hemisphere. Before this loading can take place, however, the appropriate officials in the Treasury Department would undoubtedly have to receive instructions in the light of the directive we have received from the President.