103.917/1828b: Circular telegram

The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Representatives in the American Republics11

From Lazo,12 BEW. We have hopes that for next 60 days amount of shipping space available for your country will exceed the target tonnage. Backlog has also been materially reduced so that we expect shortly to be on current basis. Accordingly we urge immediate expediting of all possible import recommendations and easing of restrictions on so-called non-essential list so as to take advantage of shipping space next 60 days. We urge approval of as much as possible of non-allocated import requests regardless of target tonnage quota for immediate orders on American exporters. We will exercise care on shipping priority ratings to prevent as much as possible useless goods being shipped, but restrictions of non-essential lists should [Page 115] be temporarily eased. You should make no public announcement of this, but you should consult country agency and in guarded manner let it be known that orders for American goods will be expedited in next 60 days, inviting importers to place orders now. [Lazo.]

Hull
  1. The diplomatic representatives in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
  2. Hector Lazo, Assistant Director in Charge of Exports, Board of Economic Warfare.