Office of the Historian

851A.01/30a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Leahy)

Washington, January 3, 1942—3 p.m.

5. As a result of recent conversations here between the British, Canadians and ourselves, the French Ambassador was informed today that the Vichy Government had the opportunities to make a contribution in settlement of the Saint Pierre-Miquelon situation and that he himself could play no inconsiderable part. It was impressed upon him that time was of the essence and he undertook to telephone his Government this afternoon informing it of this fact and of the following proposals which were being advanced as a possible solution agreeable to all sides:

Simultaneous action in regard to

(1)
Withdrawal of the Free French forces.
(2)
Admiral Robert24 will call the present Administrator to Fort de France for extended consultation and will name as temporary Administrator a local inhabitant of the Islands whose appointment would be agreeable to the population of the Islands.
(3)
The American and Canadian Governments to name observers attached to their Consulates at the Islands to supervise the closing and continued cessation of all wireless operation.

You should also discuss these proposals with the appropriate authorities in an attempt to facilitate and expedite a reply.

The French Ambassador has telephoned Admiral Darlan personally this afternoon along the above lines.

Hull
  1. Adm. Georges Robert, French High Commissioner in the French West Indies and Supreme Commander of French Islands in the Western Hemisphere.↩