103.9164: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 24—10:28 p.m.]
9156. To Land, WSA, for Morse and Chubb from Reed, Brown and O’Boyle. Supplementing our 9130, October 24.11 Have discussed agenda for first UMEB meeting with Weston who agrees that following items mentioned Chubb’s memorandum to the Administrator October 13th12 and in Planning Committee discussions should be included.
[Page 718]- 1.
- Adoption of Planning Committee report.
- 2.
- Report of subcommittees on coastal and short sea trades.
- 3.
- Consideration of paragraph 6 of Planning Committee report.
- 4.
- Question of currencies and brokerage.
- 5.
- Position of USSR, Brazil, Yugoslavia, France, Denmark, Dominions, et cetera.
- 6.
- Personnel requirements.
Weston suggests that the above items should be circulated to Allies before meeting as being major items likely to be discussed. Detailed agenda might be prepared when he arrives in Washington not later than November 12th.
Weston agrees that matter of agency arrangements on vessels allocated to berth services should be discussed but wants to talk this over with us in advance and therefore suggests it be omitted from main agenda. His feeling is that while it would be desirable to invite Allies to selected meetings of committees such as SEPC’s at early date for educational purposes actual establishment of UMEB freight rate and voyage charter committees should be deferred as long as possible. This should not, however, preclude early Anglo-American discussions on rate questions.
Weston also agrees that Allies should be given general idea of tonnage situation but feels this might more appropriately be done in SEPC rather than UMEB. He suggests omitting it from main agenda.
We are not clear as to what questions of allocations policy you had in mind in paragraph 1 of Chubb’s memorandum of October 13th to the Administrator. Can you elucidate?
Please advise if foregoing meets with your approval.
Speekenbrink is leaving with Nicholson’s party.
Samuelson advised today that Carlsson13 and Boheman, chief permanent civil servant in Swedish Foreign Office, are arriving here November 6th to discuss UMA. We told him that Weston is leaving November 8th for Washington meeting and urged that they come several days earlier. Assume you wish us to meet them with Weston? Please instruct. [Reed, Brown, and O’Boyle.]