854.24/104a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

2125. Legation of Switzerland in a recent memorandum has requested following supplies during 1943 for Swiss Army in addition to raw materials covered by Compensation Agreement. Metric tons except where indicated otherwise: oats 10,000; cotton 4,000; wool 3,000; hides and skins 2,000; copper 500; nickel 30; rubber 200; toluol 200; glycerine 200; castor oil 200; tinplate 1,000; steelsheets and billets 1,000; steelplate 500; ironsheets (decapped) 300; bicycle chains 6; stellite 900 lbs.; chromium 70; molybdenum 50; and manganese 50. The last three items would be suitable pure or in ferrous compounds.

The Swiss argue that through breakdown of German-Swiss negotiations and resulting delay the conclusion of London negotiations on new War Trade Agreement,99 supplies to the Army are greatly jeopardized; that present situation requires high degree of preparedness and supplies should be granted while the routes to Switzerland are still open. Swiss are prepared to offer guarantees that material will be used exclusively for the Army and are willing to distribute the materials over the next three quarters.

In support of their request the Swiss claim that exports of arms and ammunition to the Axis have declined as measured by Swiss francs as follows: arms and components thereof for December 1942 14,700,000., January 1943 9,400,000., February 1943 6,200.000.; ammunition for same periods 9,200,000., 9,400.000., 5,600,000.

Department requests your views and those of Ministry of Economic Warfare with particular reference to the following:

1.
Your comments on the apparent decline in exports of arms and ammunition to the Axis.
2.
Blockade considerations involved in granting the Swiss requests and relation and effect on negotiations for the new War Trade Agreement.
3.
Is it impractical for Swiss to resume negotiations in London before they reach an agreement with Germany?
4.
Military views in London concerning desirability of supporting the Swiss Army in this manner at the present time.

Hull
  1. For correspondence on the negotiations for the Anglo-American-Swiss War Trade Agreement, effected by exchange of letters, December 19, 1943, see pp. 824 ff.