Office of the Historian

800.515/9–1644: Telegram

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

Washington, September 22, 1944—9 p.m.

7742. A conference has been held between the Department, Treasury, and FEA with respect to transmittal of the Bretton Woods Resolution VI to the European neutrals and particularly with reference to your 7522, September 13, 1944, the Department’s 7587, September 18, 1944,34 and your 7652, September 16, 1944. As has already been indicated to you, our missions in the neutral capitals have been requested to withhold transmittal of the proposed note pending discussions with the British.

1.
Department, Treasury, and FEA are prepared to accede to the suggested British changes in the note transmitted in the Department’s 7189, September 5, 1944, in view of the desirability of obtaining coordinated action at the earliest possible date. It is our understanding that the text of the note, as thus agreed upon, will read as follows:

The delegates of the 44 nations assembled at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, adopted the following Resolution. (Here quote the text of the Resolution as set forth in the circular airgram referred to.)

[Page 233]

“I have been instructed to inform you that my Government, considering the Bretton Woods Resolution to be directed at the same purposes as the Declaration of London, of January 5, 1943,35 with respect to looted property, and the declaration of February 22, 1944, concerning gold, fully supports the said Bretton Woods Resolution. In accordance with the terms of that Resolution, I am instructed therefore to state that my Government calls upon your Government to institute such measures as will fulfill the aims of the United Nations as expressed in the Resolution. I am further instructed to state that my Government considers cooperation in this matter to be of primary importance to the welfare of occupied nations and to the protection of the lives and property of their nationals, and to the peace and security of the post-war world.”

2.
Previous plans already called for the presentation of a similar note to Turkey. We are willing to accede to the British suggestion that milder language be used in the proposed Turkish note and the phraseology suggested is acceptable. Our mission in Ankara will be sent the proposed text of the note as so corrected as soon as possible.
3.
The Department does not believe it desirable to have the British present Resolution VI to Argentina at this time. In view of the fact that neither the United States nor the British maintain normal diplomatic relations with Argentina, we would suggest to the British that a different approach to Argentina be made. The approach to be made on this and related problems, such as the question of refuge for Axis war criminals, is under discussion within the Department. It is not believed desirable, moreover, to encourage any action which might possibly be construed to indicate divergence between United States and British relations with or attitude toward Argentina.
4.
It is desired to reiterate the point made in the Department’s 7587 under reference, that we consider this matter to be highly urgent. It is hoped that, in view of our complete acceptance of the proposed British changes, there will be no difficulty in clearing this matter at a ministerial level in London within the next few days. It is hoped to have the presentation of notes take place on October 2, 1944.
5.
Please indicate whether the British desire a joint US-UK statement or identical notes delivered more or less simultaneously by our respective missions.
6.
Your reaction is requested to the proposed issuance of press release to describe briefly the action thus taken, and to be issued shortly after the presentation of the notes.
7.
The above may be taken as a reply also to your telegram 7742, September 19.36
Hull
  1. Telegram 7587 not printed.↩
  2. Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. i, p. 443.↩
  3. Not printed.↩