711.45/11: Telegram
Mr. William Phillips, Personal Representative of President Roosevelt in India, to the Secretary of State
[Received April 11—8:42 a.m.]
279. After discussions with Ecker we decided that the arrival in India of the Lend-Lease Mission furnishes an appropriate opportunity to allay those suspicions referred to in my 116, February 9. He has accordingly prepared a statement which will be released to Indian press on morning of April 14 (Department’s 140 of March 6). The statement, which has my full approval, describes the origin, objects and methods of operation of the Lend-Lease Act and concludes as follows:
“In conclusion may I reiterate that lend-lease aid is not in any way an effort to establish American economic interests in India. It has only one purpose, namely, to assist India in her share of our common task—the defeat of the Japanese and Nazi aggressors. The foregoing statement is issued because of the United States Government’s desire to correct the erroneous impressions attributing ulterior motives to lend-lease aid to India.”