854.24/96: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland ( Harrison ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:40 a.m.]
1616. At the last Mixed Commission meeting, the Swiss delegates asked the Commercial Attaché89 and the British Commercial Secretary90 to support the request made through the Swiss Legations in Washington and London for facilities to import certain products urgently needed for the army. They stated that the details have already been transmitted to you. The quantities have not been based on a fixed period but on immediate needs. They stated that London’s first reaction was that this list is “rather long”.
Hotz91 asked that we give our support initially to the request for [Page 895] 10,000 tons of oats (said to be sufficient for 2 months requirements). The army horses are now being fed on a daily mixture containing only one kilo of oats and other feedstuffs largely feed cellulose.
Hotz expresses the hope that the request for the other items would be treated liberally as this list had been transmitted at the request of the Swiss General Staff and which asked for our support for these essential army needs. The Swiss delegates stated that if it were unavailable these importations might be counted against the compensation deal but expresses the hope that some latitude might be accorded as at least part of the imports under the deal are intended for civilian requirements.
At my request my Military Attaché92 has discussed with the competent supply office of the Swiss Army the question of priority in this list of critical materials and the latter has indicated as of first urgency the following items: 10,000 tons of oats, 200 tons rubber, 240,000 toluol. This officer requested that the remainder of the list be considered as all urgently needed material and that if priority had to be given he would prefer that the priority would be half of the amounts requested of each article. (This officer reports that the bicycle chains [are] en route.)
My Military Attaché fully supports this request. He has been assured that any control desired will be offered to him and considers that it would strengthen his hand with the Swiss if deliveries can be started without necessarily incorporating these purchases into the compensation deal.
In view of the critical period through which the Swiss are now passing, I strongly support this recommendation of my Military Attaché as I consider that it is vitally important that we should help stress the Swiss Army’s position by means of these critical supplies. I hope that this Swiss request may be given the most generous consideration and be filled as promptly as possible in view of the increasing supply difficulties.
Repeated to London.