852.6363/1149: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Hayes)
2449. The Department leaves it to your discretion as to the propitious time to inform the Spaniards of the restrictions regarding supplies of aviation gasoline for the Spain–Switzerland line as outlined in Department’s 2310 of October 29. Your 3218 of November 2.62 As stated previously, we will arrange for the supply of sufficient aviation gasoline for operations which are specifically for the benefit of the United States or the United Kingdom, and which meet with our approval. You can understand that any open-end commitment for [Page 710] supplies of such a strategic material would be inadvisable and subject to criticism. In other words we must keep a strong measure of control on an operation which necessitates our shipping a vital and critical war material.
In the event the proposed future line to Buenos Aires is again mentioned, you are particularly requested to give no encouragement whatever.
- Not printed.↩