740.00112A European War 1939/4700a: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Representatives in the American Republics Except Central America
The Department is giving consideration to a plan submitted by Treasury to control transactions undertaken by cloaks with respect to articles exported from the United States. Exporters in the United States would file an extra copy of export declaration, which would be dispatched immediately by airmail to the appropriate American mission. The American mission would then examine these declarations to determine whether cloaks or Proclaimed List nationals were involved. With respect to shipments in which such a person has an interest, the information would immediately be transmitted to the Department with a view to stopping the shipment or preventing delivery to the consignee through the cooperation of Canal Zone authorities, the British and the shipping lines concerned.
Please advise the Department whether such a plan would be practical from an administrative angle in so far as your mission and the consulates subject to your jurisdiction are concerned. In addition the Department would appreciate an expression of your views in general.