800.6363/716: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)

1680. Your 1909, June 5.15 Department has today requested Petroleum Supply Committee for Latin America to regard all petroleum products necessary in connection with production and transportation of raw rubber in Brazil, including transportation of food or other supplies for maintenance of communities or areas essential to maximum rubber production, as war essential in the sense in which this term is used in paragraph 4 (b) of Department’s circular cable of May 2, 1942.15 Department suggested that Supply Committee request the Pool Committee16 in Brazil to make estimate of the types and quantities of petroleum products required in the services just mentioned as a basis for furnishing these supplies in addition to the [Page 736] normal pool supplies which are now subject to rationing. You should give the Pool Committee all assistance possible in this connection.

You should inform the Brazilian Government of this action and state that supplies of petroleum products now on hand may be utilized in the services described to the full extent necessary in security maximum raw rubber for the United Nations and that quantities of oil thus used will be replaced without penalty to regular pool supplies.

For your information there is a committee here on which are represented various agencies of this government including this Department which deals with the classification of requirements for petroleum products from the standpoint of importance to the war effort.

While the Department appreciates the difficulties which confront you in adequately explaining to the Brazilian Government the problems of oil supply it is requested that you do not commit this government to guaranteeing full oil supplies for any class of consumption except when specifically authorized to do so. The reason for this is that rapidly changing war conditions require corresponding reappraisals of the relative essentiality of oil consuming services and the presently critical tanker situation makes it imperative that oil transportation be kept in close adjustment with the demands of highest priority.

Hull
  1. Not printed.
  2. Not printed.
  3. See section entitled “Proposal by the United States for the control of the distribution of petroleum products among the American Republics,” Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. vi.