Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General: Economic and Social Matters, Volume II

800.515/12–2244: Telegram

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

Washington, January 6, 1945—9 p.m.

150. For Embassy and Aarons from Department and Treasury. Please give message in following Paragraph 1 to British in response to their communication paraphrased to us in your 11396, December 22.⁶⁸

1. “We are happy to note that you are in agreement as to objective of proposed approach to United Nations with respect to Gold Declaration. Accordingly, we intend to send on January 10, 1945, the message stated in our telegram of December 13, 1944,⁶⁹ which informs the other United Nations of the steps which this Government will be required to take with respect to future acquisitions of gold from countries which do not adhere to the Gold Declaration. In view of the fact that you have not yet approached the other United Nations on the subject of the Gold Declaration, we should be happy, if you feel unable to take identical action, to have your support of our approach in the manner suggested.⁷⁰ We shall instruct our Missions to inform their British colleagues of action taken.”

2. In connection with discussions with the British on this matter, our views on the other points raised in your 11396, December 22, are as follows:

(a) Since the Gold Declaration is, within its field, more far reaching than Bretton Woods Resolution VI, it is not thought necessary to refer to the Resolution.

(b) The fact that the British Dominions are not buying gold at the present time is not, in the opinion of this Government, a sufficient reason for not requesting their adherence to the Gold Declaration. The success of the policy set forth in the Declaration depends to a large extent upon the isolation from the world’s gold markets of those countries which have been purchasing gold from the Axis. This isolation can be made clear to them only if all of the United Nations announce their adherence to the Gold Declaration.

(c) Our Missions are being instructed to check, before presenting the message, on whether the governments to which they are accredited have adhered. Norway and South Africa, on the basis of 11396 under reference, will be excluded in distribution of our message.

(d) All of the countries listed in Paragraph 6 of your 11396⁷¹ are listed here as having advised of their adherence to the Declaration, The steps taken with respect to France were described in our 10399 of December 13.

Stettinius

68. Not printed.
69. No. 10399, supra.
70. In London’s telegram 257, January 8, 1945, 6 p.m., the Secretaries of State and Treasury were advised that while the British could not take identical action, they nevertheless indicated a strong desire to join the United States in this matter, and, accordingly, the British would send a message on January 10 to British Missions to give support to their American colleagues (800.515/1–845).
71. Bolivia, Brazil, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, the Philippines, and Yugoslavia; Department records, however, show no record of adherence by Bolivia and the Philippines during 1944.