890F.515/17: Telegram
The Appointed Minister Resident in Saudi Arabia (Moose) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4 p.m.]
64. My 55, June 22, 5 p.m. Number of pilgrims to Mecca this year is estimated as high as 50,000. Substantial numbers should begin arriving by end September and rush will begin a month later.
[Page 873]All 15 million riyals referred to in Cairo’s 861, May 11, 9 a.m. will be needed to combat upward tendency of riyal resulting from receipt of promised gold and influx of foreign currencies with pilgrims. A runaway riyal will cause destitution among pilgrims and otherwise aggravate difficulties of local government.
Long range plan mentioned in Department’s 27, June 30, 1 [10] p.m.71 should not be permitted to distract attention from urgency of present needs.
Repeated to Cairo.
- Not printed; it was a private telegram between officials of the California Arabian Standard Oil Company (Casoc) containing information as to the Department’s interest and efforts in the direction of solving on a long-range basis the Saudi Arabian fiscal problem by means of a plan of currency stabilization (012.3/9605a).↩