Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, Europe, Volume II

851B.20/142½

The French High Commissioner in the French West Indies (Robert) to Mr. Samuel Reber, Representative of the Department of State in Martinique⁷

[Translation]

October 27, 1942.

Note Verbale

With regard to the final conclusion of the general agreement, my Government informs me that the agreement, contrary to what I had supposed, cannot include secret clauses. It must have only one text which, if necessary, can be made known.

My Government is obliged to attach particular importance to the question of form since the public emphasis placed upon certain claims has put it in a delicate position and has drawn attention and mistrust to its intentions in regard thereto.

Consequently, the text of the agreement must be of such a nature that if it is made known it will not give rise to reprisals or bargaining, the results of which would be contrary to the end sought by our two Governments. In particular, it is important that knowledge of it will not adversely affect American control in North Africa.

With these requirements in mind the following represent the solutions proposed for the different questions:

I. Monitoring.

As I had indicated to you and in view of the foregoing considerations, our general agreement cannot contain a provision permitting the establishment of an American monitoring station at Fort-de-France which would be directly contrary to our position of neutrality.

Moreover, I continue to believe that this station would not bring any positive technical advantage to its operators and that the assurances which I gave you on August 25, and which I repeat herewith, will give you, objectively speaking, the desired guarantees.

The detection of clandestine stations is an internal affair, and the measures already taken as regards these territories have been strengthened by a law dated October 15 which increases the severity of penalties for the utilization or possession of non-authorized radio stations and entrusts the energetic suppression of any infringements to a special court.

II. Shipwrecked Seamen.

I have no intention of modifying the attitude which up to the present I have adopted in regard to these seamen, whom I have always had well treated and whose early departure I have facilitated without requiring any counterpart.

If as an exception I was once obliged to detain certain seamen, you are aware of the justification therefor.

Confident that I should not again be given reason to act in this way, I released these men in advance without asking similar assurances for the future. I hope the same confidence may be placed in me.

To insist upon the inclusion of a special provision in the general agreement would be to withhold recognition of my liberal attitude and in calling attention to a matter, which can best be handled locally, would risk reactions that we do not desire.

III. Activities Contrary to the Interests of the United States. Article IV of the draft agreement is sufficiently explicit and comprehensive definitely to mean that these possessions will not serve as a base for activities contrary to the military interests of the United States.

The special provision which we had envisaged therefore appears unnecessary, and furthermore, the present system of control of immigration and traffic as well as the liberty of movement enjoyed by the various local American officials should give you full guarantees.

IV. Supply of Sugar to the United States.

The French Government has shown a real desire for cooperation in agreeing to sell to the United States the various products of the Colonies and particularly the available sugar and in also accepting the principle that they should be transported on French ships in the Antilles-United States service.

Account must, however, be taken of the heavy servitudes which the Armistice conditions have imposed upon the movements of French ships and of the results, contrary to our common interests, which any violation of these conditions would inevitably bring.

Therefore hesitating to make any promises which it cannot be sure of fulfilling, the French Government cannot at the present time undertake formally to transport within a fixed time a specific tonnage of sugar or other products to the United States and must make reservation as to the effect brought about by any opposition, which might block its intentions.

Under these conditions and having in mind the considerations set forth earlier, I propose that the last paragraph of Article XI of the draft agreement be replaced by the following:

“In any event, the United States Government will receive various available produce of the Antilles which is not transported to North Africa.”

But I undertake personally, in the most explicit fashion, to make every effort within my power to deliver and transport on vessels of the Antilles-New Orleans service a maximum of 60,000 tons of sugar per annum. I confirm that I am ready at the present time to make the first shipment immediately.

Finally, our two Governments, I am glad to note, are in agreement as to the substance of all questions. There only remains to establishment, in view of the foregoing considerations, the final form of the agreement. I propose that it shall take the form of the draft agreement which we prepared with the change in Article XI set forth above. If you agree I am prepared to sign the agreement at once.

With respect to the undertakings I have given as regards the clandestine stations and sugar, my attitude for the past two years and the confirmation which the French Government has always given to my actions are guarantees of the undertakings that I assume.

Thus our mutual good relations will be defined and consolidated. Also in this way the United States will be assured of having the security and the benefits it sought without increasing the difficulties in which circumstances have placed my Government.

[On the basis of communications from Mr. Samuel Reber and of preliminary conversations relating to a final text of an agreement, Admiral Robert prepared a draft agreement. Mr. Reber forwarded a translation of this draft in a letter of October 13, 1942, to Mr. Ray Atherton, Acting Chief of the Division of European Affairs. With a reply of October 29, 1942, Mr. Atherton enclosed a revised draft (851B.20/133½). Presumably this was the agreement referred to in following correspondence as the agreement reached on November 7 but not signed. The above-mentioned correspondence is not printed.

On November 8, following the landing of American troops in North Africa, the Vichy Government severed diplomatic relations with the United States. See telegram No. 1651, November 8, 8 p.m., from the Chargé in France, printed on page 201.]

7. Copy in translation transmitted to the Acting Chief of the Division of European Affairs by Mr. Reber in his letter of November 3; received December 23.