Office of the Historian

103.9164: Telegram

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

London, September 14, 1944.
[Received September 15—2:21 a.m.]

7587. To Land, Conway and Morse, WSA, from Reed, Brown and Chubb. Please transmit to Land in Quebec.75

1.
We have been pressing British to join with us in suggestion to Planning Committee that first meeting of Executive Board be held in Washington to receive and act on report of Planning Committee. Ministry officials here are in accord but have referred matter to Leathers from whom no reply has been received. You may wish to discuss this matter direct with Leathers.
2.
Concerning allocations. Ministry has agreed that Nicholson who is now with Leathers shall proceed to Washington at a mutually convenient date to discuss policy aspects of allocation with you. We believe he will have data you require.
3.
Understand Wackrill is now in Washington briefed to discuss tanker allocations.
4.
Aside from the more fundamental questions as to the policy which shall govern operation of the allocation machinery which Nicholson will be discussing with you, there are the pure questions of allocations policy mechanics outlined in MWT’S proposal cabled to you August 19th, 6734.76 We understand that no questions of allocations policy may be discussed until we receive further instructions from you after your talks with Nicholson, but we believe it would be helpful to give Allies our suggestions as to allocations machinery as distinct from policy at the earliest possible date so that they can make their plans to have the necessary qualified personnel in Washington and London at the time the Agreement goes into operation. We are anxious to get started on this so that machinery will be ready in the event UMA has to get started at short notice. Memorandum on allocations [Page 692] attached to Admiral Land’s instructions to Chubb of September 4th77 indicate that you are in general accord with proposals outlined in 6734. We suggest you advise us of any suggested modifications to these proposals and authorize us jointly with MWT to submit them so modified to the Allies as a basis for discussion so that Allies may have time to study proposed machinery and be prepared to act promptly upon conclusion of policy discussion with Nicholson.
5.
Discussions on all other phases proceeding satisfactorily with British. We anticipate first meeting of full Planning Committee early next week. [Reed, Brown, and Chubb.]
Winant
  1. Documentation on the Second Quebec Conference, September 11–16, 1944, is scheduled for publication in a subsequent volume of Foreign Relations .↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Not found in Department files.↩