740.00112 European War 1939/6406
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Adviser on Political Relations (Dunn)
Mr. Hoyer Millar, Counselor of the British Embassy, came in this afternoon and among other matters took up the question of the shipments now being contemplated in connection with the economic assistance program for North Africa. He said that the British Government realized the importance of the decision already made by this Government to resume the assistance program to North Africa and to endeavor to send forward the ships on their regular runs without delay. But, he said, the British Government ventured the suggestion that if any question arose as to the advisability of sending certain commodities, or as to the volume in which certain commodities might be sent on these ships, that the decision be left to the military authorities, perhaps under the control of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
I told Mr. Hoyer Millar that it was fully realized here that the shipments were, under the President’s direction, to go forward without delay and that there was a great possibility that, in order to insure the expeditious movement of the ships in connection with this program, the decisions in many matters affecting the military situation would be left to the military authorities.