Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The Near East and Africa, Volume IV

882.1561/6–243

The President of Liberia (Barclay) to Mr. Harry L. Hopkins, Special Assistant to President Roosevelt ²⁴

New York, June 2, 1943.

My Dear Mr. Hopkins: Mr. Tubman²⁵ and I greatly regretted that we were unable to have the promised talk with you prior to our leaving the White House on the morning of May 27th. It had been our hope that we might have been able to interest you in the matter of the delay in making available to Liberia the Lend-Lease supplies which President Roosevelt, we were advised, had authorized. These supplies of money and materials had been promised Liberia in consideration of certain substantial grants which our government had made towards the war effort, namely, the establishment of American Air Bases in Liberian territory, and the granting to the United States Government of military bases therein.

Notwithstanding requisite applications had been made since March 29, 1943, up to this time no materials have as yet been delivered under the understanding arrived at between the two governments. It was our intention to solicit your good offices in speeding up performances, if it were proper and possible for you to help us in this matter.

President Roosevelt, when he visited Liberia, intimated to me that he felt it desirable that a harbor should be built in Liberia without delay. The idea commends itself to both Mr. Tubman and to me. We are prepared to implement this objective upon these conditions:

a— That the construction of the harbor be carried out in accordance with specifications of army engineers.

b— That the funds provided for the construction be repaid out of harbor revenues. All sums over and above the cost of harbor administration be allocated to the reduction of the capital debt.

To insure the repayment of the cost of harbor construction within a shorter period than otherwise might be possible, an intensive exploitation of Liberia’s economic resources should be concurrently undertaken with the building of the harbor. Mr. Tubman and I are both prepared to support before the Liberian Legislature the granting to any non-political commercial organization such rights of exploration and exploitation as may not be inconsistent with the economic rights and welfare of the Liberian people. Such an organization might be suggested by an appropriate Department of the United States Government.

These are matters we had desired to talk over with you, and, if we could with propriety do so, engage your sympathetic interest in securing their prompt accomplishment.

Yours faithfully,

Edwin Barclay

[Enclosure]

Memorandum by the President of Liberia (Barclay)

The Government of Liberia earnestly desires a larger development and production of the natural resources of the Republic which are in demand by world markets, and which are deemed vital to insure a sound internal economy. The products which it is felt fall most logically into this category are palm oil, palm kernels, copra, kola nuts, coffee, cocoa and piassava fibre, as well as certain mineral deposits.

In connection with the above, the Government of Liberia is also desirous of having these products more largely introduced directly into the American market, but realizes that to stimulate such production quickly and in adequate quantities, finances are needed which are not now available within the country.

Further, the Liberian Government feels that the exploitation of such products as above can best be brought about by plantation operations which would not curtail or prohibit free enterprise and initiative in such production on the part of the people of the country, but would rather encourage same. To this end the Government is prepared to grant concessions and privileges to limited plantation areas deemed necessary to sustain central and continuous operations of processing plants in connection with what production might be made by individual enterprise.

The Government of Liberia feels satisfied that the Government of the United States sympathizes with these fundamental objectives, and it is hoped that during this visit definite arrangements will be arrived at which will secure the cooperation of such agencies as might be suggested by the Government of the United States.

In placing the resources and territorial facilities of the Republic at the disposal of the Government of the United States so readily and fully to serve its war objectives, Liberia had expected that comparable consideration would be given to her basic requirements for economic development. Certain understandings and commitments were, of course, arrived at at the time the Liberian Government took the above steps, but it cannot be said that these have materialized. These commitments were of a limited nature and had a primary military objective. They did not cover provisions for the exploitation of the natural resources of the country or provide for the handling of increased production by improved shipping facilities. It is felt that attention should be directed now specifically to these objectives. These are deemed to be:

a— Fullest development of such exportable products as palm oil, palm kernels, copra, coffee, kola nuts and piassava fiber, as well as a rounded agricultural economy.

b— Exploitation of mineral products, especially of the iron ore deposits which have already been the subject of serious discussion between our two governments.

c— The construction of a modern port.

From intimations and assurances given to the Liberian Government by authorities of the Government of the United States from time to time, the Liberian Government has been inspired by the feeling that aid in achieving the above objectives would flow from the collaborations which have taken place between our two Governments in recent years especially.

24. Copy transmitted to the Department by President Barclay in a letter to the Assistant Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Villard), June 2, 1943, which read: “I am herewith enclosing the Memorandum which I promised, together with copy of my letter to Mr. Harry Hopkins.” For correspondence concerning President Barclay’s visit to the United States, see pp. 656 ff.
25. W. V. S. Tubman, President-elect of Liberia.