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

103.9164: Telegram

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

London, October 2, 1944.
[Received October 2—5 p.m.]

8248. To Land, WSA, for Conway and Morse from Reed by Chubb.

1. Referring article 8 of Agreement on Principles, Canadian Delegation indicates it will take position based on instructions from Ottawa that coastwise and short sea vessels do not come within UMEB machinery. We feel this is in direct conflict with agreed interpretation of article 8 and also in direct conflict with paragraph 5 of the Annex. It may be you will wish to discuss this point with Lawes⁹⁷ or MacCallum.⁹⁸ All other contracting nations agree without interpretation that while paragraph 8 exempts coastwise and short sea trades from specific machinery contemplated by paragraph 7(b), such trades are within the control of UMEB, first, as to total tonnage allocated to such trades and, second, as to determination that tonnage so allocated is being utilized in accordance with the Agreement on Principles and that the significance of paragraph 8 is to permit special regional machinery rather than centralized machinery for dealing with the employment vessels allocated to such trades by the Central Authority. Norway and others, however, have indicated that they may wish to modify their position in the event Canada successfully maintains its vessels in such trades are exempt from UMEB control.

2. Referring Embassy’s 7927,⁹⁹ suggest that Archie Stevenson¹ contact with Paul Lacques and endeavor expedite reply.

3. In the event it is possible for us to dispose of tanker allocations machinery, we will endeavour to complete our work here this week. [Reed.]

Winant

97. Albert L. Lawes, representative in Washington of the Canadian Shipping Board.
98. Andrew L. W. MacCallum, Chairman of the Canadian Shipping Board.
99. Dated September 23, not printed; it contained a message from John W. Mann for Paul Lacques, counsel for the American Institute of Marine Underwriters (103.9164 London).
1. Assistant General Counsel, War Shipping Administration.