840.51 Frozen Credits/9257
The Ambassador in Bolivia (Boal) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 29.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s circular airgram of November 25, 1942, 7:30 p.m.,17 concerning arrangements understood to be in existence between the Vichy Minister of Finance and Vichy representatives in foreign countries to facilitate the transfer of private funds to France.
In accordance with the Department’s instruction under reference, this information was brought to the attention of the Bolivian Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has now replied, in a note of January 13, 1943, a translation of which is enclosed,18 stating that this information has been given to the Bolivian Ministry of Finance in order that appropriate security measures may be taken.
[Page 582]The Oficial Mayor (chief officer) of the Ministry of Finance telephoned me on January 19, 1943 and said that the Ministry of Finance desired to inform the banks and warn the public regarding the possible misuse of Vichy funds and prohibitions which the Bolivian Government would make regarding such funds, and asked if there were any objection to publishing the information in the note without mentioning the Embassy as the source. I told him that this publication could be made for the purposes mentioned.
The Ministry of Finance has now issued a public notice concerning this matter which was published in the La Paz newspapers on January 20, 1943. A translation of the public notice is enclosed20 for the information and files of the Department.
Respectfully yours,