740.00112A European War 1939/7065a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

431. In reply to inquiry of British Embassy here concerning Department’s position on the listing of French firms situated outside occupied and unoccupied France, we have orally advised the Embassy as follows:

1.
We are prepared to include on the Proclaimed List for European countries all cases of French firms which the British include on the Statutory List after consultation with our local mission and with you. We understand that the British policy is generally to list such firms which refuse to give undertakings not to accept direction or control from France; not to remit money to France; and not to trade with or on behalf of the enemy. We have expressed the hope that this policy would not result in the indiscriminate listing of French firms which decline to give such undertakings if the firm was not actually engaged in inimical activities. The case of Orosdi-Back in Turkey was discussed with us and while we doubted the apparent necessity for listing this firm in Turkey we stated that we would not object if MEW considered it necessary.
2.
We advised the Embassy that we had no objection to the British continuing to request such undertakings from French firms since this was a matter for their decision but that we could not associate ourselves with such undertakings.
3.
We informed the Embassy that we did not consider it advisable for the British to request undertakings from French firms located in this country and that we would exercise such control of these firms as seemed necessary.

Hull