861.24/1170: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Henderson) to the Secretary of State
Moscow, November
18, 1942—3 p.m.
[Received November 19—9:14 a.m.]
[Received November 19—9:14 a.m.]
474. For Stettinius from Faymonville.
- 1.
- Commissar is pleased that port space will be made available at American west coast ports. He believes, however, that freight shipments can be controlled and congestion can be avoided “without recourse to such sharp measures as total embargo” as at Portland and hopes that total embargo will not be used in future.
- 2.
- Commissar asks that when you review shipping situation on December 1, you realize the extreme need for additional ships on Soviet Pacific run and make every effort to assign maximum number for Dec[ember] quota. Commissar observes that in view of successful operations in North Africa less shipping will be required for Atlantic transport and he believes that shipping thus released should be assigned to Soviet Pacific run. Commissar used exactly the same phraseology as British Broadcasting Company, which in a London [Page 747] broadcast stated that the success of the American effort in North Africa would release large numbers of ships for other purposes.
[Remainder of telegram concerns the question of supply of electrical equipment for furnaces.]
- [Faymonville]
- Henderson