823.24/718: Airgram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Peru ( Norweb )

A–726. Reference is made to Embassy’s A–870 of May 12.62 With respect, to the use of shipping priority ratings, the Embassy is advised that in cases of material which cannot be classified as necessary for the United Nations’ war effort or hemisphere defense but yet is extremely urgently needed, an A priority classification may be given to such a case. Such a case should be considered as a definite exception to the general rule, and the Embassy should attach a memorandum to copies nos. 1, 3 and 5 explaining the urgency and therefore the reason why the exception was made.

With respect to example no. 2 set forth in the airgram under reference, your attention is again invited to the Department’s airgram no. A–574 of April 1062 in which it was explained that it is not possible under existing circumstances to know the exact month when any particular shipment will take place. Therefore, it is necessary to charge the current quarter for a particular shipment even though it is expected that the material in question will not arrive until a later quarter. Furthermore, in the example cited by the Embassy it should be realized that several months will normally elapse before a crane is [Page 277] scheduled for production, produced and made ready for shipment, and finally shipped. Another factor that should be considered is the desirability of there being a backlog of orders for production and shipment in Washington at all times in order that a smooth flow of supply be maintained as gaps in scheduling may arise or in cases where an unexpected improvement in the shipping situation occurs.

In the third cited example64 the same reasoning would apply. However, the Embassy and the country agency should exercise discretion in the approval of import recommendations by granting them first to more needy cases.

Hull
  1. Airgram not printed.
  2. Airgram not printed.
  3. This involved the question of whether an Import Recommendation for merchandise available in the second quarter but not needed by an importer until December, should be withheld from the importer until the fourth quarter.