Office of the Historian

800.515/9–1344: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, September 13, 1944—8 p.m.
[Received September 14—3:25 a.m.]

7522. ReDepts 7189, September 5, midnight. The desire of the Department to address a note to certain neutral governments regarding the implementation of Resolution VI of the Bretton Woods Conference was discussed with Ronald of the Foreign Office. While reiterating his statement, reported in the Embassy’s 6472, August 11, 11 p.m., that the Foreign Office wished to cooperate with the Department in any measures it might take, he nevertheless said he could see difficulty in going along in the manner suggested.

Ronald pointed out that the resolutions of the Bretton Woods Conference were not “adopted” by the governments but merely by the delegates who referred them to the various signatory governments for their consideration and that Resolution VI had not yet been fully considered by the Government of the United Kingdom and he could not yet say what the final attitude of his Government would be on this question. The British Government has therefore not yet decided what steps would be expedient or appropriate for implementing this resolution and he expressed considerable doubt as to the efficacy or appropriateness of calling upon neutral governments, at this stage, to institute all the measures mentioned in the resolution. Ronald said he did not believe the United Kingdom Government would be prepared to associate itself with the démarche in the form proposed but that the Foreign Office was anxious to bring about the results desired by the Department. He therefore suggested informally and subject to later confirmation after consultation with the other Government Departments concerned, that the United Kingdom Government might at a date somewhat later than September 19 be willing to join in an approach to the neutral governments along the following lines: Begin statement:

  • “1. (Draw attention to Resolution VI of the Bretton Woods Conference and quote its terms.)
  • 2. The United States/United Kingdom Governments having regard to the terms of the above resolution, call upon the blank government to take all possible steps (a) to prevent the entry into or transfer to any person in blank territory of any property or assets acquired by an enemy government or national from persons in United Nations territory which is or has been in enemy occupation, and also to suspend all further dealings in any such property or assets already in or lodged with any person or institution in blank territory pending consultation with the United Nations; (b) to prevent the concealment in blank territory by means of fictitious transfers to persons or institutions therein, or otherwise, of any property or assets of an enemy [Page 230] government or national or of persons or institutions in enemy territory.”

This message only to Department but Department’s 7189 repeated to Moscow.

Winant