816.6363/71a: Airgram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in El Salvador (Thurston)
A–250. There is being sent you by airmail a copy of a statement16 showing sales of petroleum production for consumption in El Salvador as compared with estimated requirements in accordance with the pool formula.17 From this statement for El Salvador for the 3 months ending March 1943, it is abundantly clear that rationing in El Salvador is not only failing to effectively keep petroleum consumption within the quota but that, in addition, total over-all tonnage made available for this country has been exceeded.
It is obvious that this situation cannot continue without developing petroleum shortages. You should therefore immediately take this up with the appropriate El Salvadoran authorities, and strongly urge that the necessary steps be taken to bring consumption within the supplies available to El Salvador.
The El Salvadoran authorities should be warned of the gravity of the situation and informed that if they run out of supplies by exceeding the quantities allocated to them, there can be no dependence upon the pool making up deficiencies. You should stress that the tanker situation continues to be restricted and that sight must not be lost of the fact that all deliveries are subject to the exigencies of war.
- Not printed; it was transmitted with Department’s instruction No. 191, June 2, 1943.↩
- A quota of 40 percent of 1941 consumption, plus war essentials, and such additional amounts as could be proved to be absolutely necessary to prevent serious economic dislocation and which could be supplied by available transportation facilities.↩