Office of the Historian

851R.01/267a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Algiers (Wiley)

Washington, February 23, 1943—midnight.

322. For Murphy. The issues raised in your 252 of February 20, midnight, and related telegrams have been answered by a personal telegram from the President (305, February 20, 5 p.m.), the Department’s 312, February 20, 11 p.m. and a long telegram direct from Marshall for Eisenhower. I am most appreciative of your keeping the Department so adequately informed of the situation as seen from your angle.

Upon General Giraud’s request Jean Monnet94 left this morning for Algiers but only after consultations with the White House and extended conversations with the War and State Departments. I think the information he is able to give not only as a Frenchman but in view of the work he has been doing in the munitions field here these last 2 years will be of great assistance in clarifying for General Giraud all those points which ill-intentioned people possibly from this side of the Atlantic have endeavored to put into his mind.

For the special purposes of his present trip Monnet has been authorized to represent the Munitions Assignments Board of which Harry Hopkins is Chairman.

Monnet has undertaken after his arrival in North Africa to keep the State Department generally informed of his impressions, but I should also value your opinion as to whether the issues involved have been satisfactorily straightened out with General Giraud and the French High Command after sufficient time has elapsed for study of the telegrams above referred to and an extended opportunity for Monnet to present specific information in his possession.

I feel that you should know that these matters have been under continuous consideration since the Casablanca conference and more than a month ago the issues involved in providing adequate shipping tonnage for material already manufactured and awaiting shipment were being worked out in relation to other requirements.

Hull
  1. A French businessman who came to Washington after the fall of France to serve on the British Purchasing Commission; he became Commissioner of Armaments. Supplies and Reconstruction in the French Committee of National Liberation created on June 3, 1943.↩