740.0011 European War 1939/24464: Telegram
The Consul at Dakar (Flexer) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 24—8:30 p.m.]
382. Message instructed by Department’s 90, September 12, 4 p.m., conveyed in conversation Boisson yesterday. He was not pleasurably affected. His reply that “These matters are exclusively between my Government and me” is quoted with his permission.
My 372, September 16, 2 p.m., is applicable. We profit that his strong stand on a question of AOF policy incidentally falls in with our purposes but with which it has no deliberate connection. Our “appreciation” or expropriation of his achievements might also be reminder of indirect benefits to England and de Gaulle59 for whom his animosity is less only than loathing for Germans. This situation invites encouragement of Nazi exclusion by political official silence by incidental beneficiaries.
Boisson would not be diverted from British action against Madagascar whereof he was bitter and cynical. He had been “surprised” by United States Government endorsement.
With regard to the economic accord which he said was engaging Murphy at Algiers the present problem in regard to vegetable oils since France looked to AOF for vitally needed oleaginous material beyond AOF productive capacity.
Department’s 86, September 2, 10 p.m. and 90, September 12, 4 p.m. Boisson dismissed Stuka planes, German Consul and token observer reports as unfounded.
- Gen. Charles de Gaulle, President of the National Committee of the Free French at London.↩