831.61333/63
Memorandum by Mr. L. J. Falck of the Division of International Communications to the Assistant Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Daniels)
Mr. Daniels: The matter of providing facilities for shipments of Venezuelan coffee to New York has been discussed with Mr. Corbett in the War Shipping Administration. After checking up on various points Mr. Corbett gave me the following information.
He stated that it is perfectly true that New York as well as other Atlantic ports are rather fully occupied at present to the extent that it is not desired to run additional vessels to them. Probably most of the UK61 cargo goes through New York and you will recall that recently the press carried a story of shortage of water-front labor there. He indicated that it would probably not be possible to give [Page 817] much consideration to the Venezuelan request as long as the Atlantic ports were so occupied.
In response to my inquiry as to services from Colombia, he informed me that only about ten per cent of the Colombian coffee from the north coast came to New York, and that was by transshipment at the Canal. Most of the Colombian west coast coffee, however, comes into New York. It would appear, therefore, that the Colombian area adjoining Venezuela have very little advantage in this respect.
- United Kingdom.↩