882.24/45: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Liberia (Hibbard)
312. The letter addressed to Consul General Walker referred to in your despatch No. 828 of November 11, 194251 was handed to him today. In order that Liberia may obtain lend-lease aid, it will be necessary that the President’s certification of Liberia’s eligibility for such aid be made public, since such certification is communicated to Congress in the President’s quarterly reports on lend-lease operations. However, the scope and specific character of lend-lease assistance is not made public. Also, we prefer that the master lend-lease agreements with other governments concluded pursuant to the Lend-Lease Act be made public.
In view of the desire of the Liberian Government that any reference to lend-lease assistance be omitted from the press release No. 573 issued December 352 regarding the agreement dated March 31, 1942, [Page 407] you are requested to ascertain and telegraph the Department whether the Liberian Government is still desirous of obtaining assistance under the Lend-Lease Act and whether it has any objection to the President’s certification of Liberia’s eligibility for such aid being made public.
Meanwhile, the Department is obtaining from Consul General Walker the representations required by Sections 4 and 7 of the Lend-Lease Act which is a prerequisite to the approval of requisitions from him for lend-lease aid.
If the reply of the Liberian Government is in the affirmative we will proceed with the preparation of the text of a lend-lease agreement between the two countries. Pending conclusion of such an agreement it would nevertheless be possible for requisitions which might be submitted by Consul General Walker to be considered for action by the Lend-Lease Administration.