711.45/7: Telegram
Mr. William Phillips, Personal Representative of President Roosevelt in India, to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:52 p.m.]
116. In a conversation with the President of the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry this morning, he said to me that there seems to be a growing sense of uneasiness in business circles with regard to American economic intentions towards India now and after the war. This feeling, he said, originated with the Grady Mission2 and appears to have been accentuated by the presence of American troops. He believes it desirable that some effort should be made to allay the suspicions before they become widespread. I feel that the point is well taken and I propose, subject to the Department’s approval, to say something, either in a press conference or otherwise [Page 252] disclaiming any motives of “economic imperialism” or “exploitation” on the part of Americans. In order to lend weight to my assurances, I should appreciate any suggestions from the Department with regard to the language which I might use.
- For correspondence on the mission of Henry F. Grady, see Foreign Relations, 1942, Vol. i, pp. 593 ff.↩