811.20 Defense (M) Mexico/566a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Mexico ( Messersmith )
1205. Following is proposed press release on signing of rubber agreement.3 It follows the general policy adopted here of not giving extensive publicity to these agreements because of fear of exaggerating in the public mind the amounts of rubber which may be expected from the various American producing countries. It is recognized that you may wish to give additional publicity in Mexico to the various terms of the agreement, and if so we have no objection. Please advise when announcement may be released.
“Signing of a rubber agreement with Mexico was announced today by the Department of State, the Rubber Reserve Company and the Board of Economic Warfare. Under the terms of the agreement Rubber Reserve Company will purchase, until December 31, 1946, any exportable surplus of tree rubber produced in Mexico and also all guayule and other plant rubber produced in Mexico during that period. The agreement also contains provisions with respect to the imitation of use of rubber products in Mexico. Under the terms of the agreement a substantial development fund is to be established by Rubber Reserve Company for the purpose of obtaining the maximum production of wild rubber in Mexico.”
- The agreement was signed September 4, 1942. The press release was issued on September 11.↩