851B.20/43: Telegram
The Consul General in Martinique (Malige) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 26—4:25 a.m.]
188. From Reber. My No. 186 May 25, 10 a.m.97 The French authorities who insist that the guarantee of sovereignty includes control [Page 637] by them of their communications state categorically and are prepared to give assurances that all messages, both radio and cable, are under the absolute control of the High Commissioner and that no communications which could be of value to the enemy are permitted. They are insistent upon the right of direct communications with Vichy and between the Caribbean possessions but are considering the possibility of furnishing us with a full list of all frequencies and times of transmission in order to permit complete monitoring.
In this connection might it not be possible to maintain the radio stations for transmission of messages in clear or in commercial codes at agreed times which could be supervised through monitoring. Code messages to Vichy would be transmitted through an agreed channel. There remains, however, the problem of intercolonial messages of administration, et cetera, which according to the local authorities can only be transmitted on frequencies that can be heard outside this area.
As regards mail censorship, mail on the Guadeloupe is now censored in New York. The French are prepared to agree that if either the Saint Domingue or Due D’Aumale carry mail this would pass through a censorship point. It is already agreed that any vessel in the North African service shall not carry any mail except one sack of official correspondence and the irregularity of the approved voyages prevents misuse to any extent of this privilege. There are no other vessels now in service with these islands. If this procedure is satisfactory it would eliminate the necessity of establishing a complex system of mail censorship on the spot and would insure greater cooperation in other matters by the local authorities.
With regard to the control of shipping, the present system of approved voyages of French vessels to other than French Caribbean possessions can if properly controlled provide adequate guarantees against the transportation of undesirable elements except as between the French islands. Since the principal means of transportation between these islands is by small boats, whose movements are impossible to control even with a large group of observers in all ports it would seem sufficient to control entry into French territories by adequate supervision of “approved voyages”. [Reber.]
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