Office of the Historian

800.85/10–2844: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman) to the Secretary of State

London, October 28, 1944.
[Received October 28—6 p.m.]

9330. To Land, WSA, for Morse and Chubb from Reed by O’Boyle and Brown.

1.
The following text of invitation has been agreed upon with the Ministry.
2.
Text of invitation:

“As secretaries of the Conference on Shipping Control we have been instructed by Admiral Emory S. Land and Lord Leathers to inform you that in accordance with the agreement reached by the United Maritime Authority Planning Committee, the first meeting of the United Maritime Executive Board will be held in Washington in the offices of the War Shipping Administration at 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 20th, and Admiral Land and Lord Leathers will be glad if your Government will arrange to be represented.

“The purpose of the meeting will be to consider further the steps that may be necessary to prepare for the coming into operation of [Page 721] the Central Authority established by the Agreement on Principles. The Planning Committee established pursuant to paragraph 12 of the Annex to the Agreement on Principles having submitted its report to the contracting governments for consideration and adoption, this meeting of the United Maritime Executive Board will provide an opportunity for its adoption and pursuant to the recommendation of the Planning Committee it is requested that your Government authorize their representative on the Executive Board to act on that report on their behalf at this meeting.

“A provisional agenda for the meeting is attached.

Winthrop G. Brown,
F. H. Keenlyside, Joint Secretariat.”

3.
Provisional agenda for Executive Board meeting:

“The agenda for the first meeting of the UMEB will include the following matters. Formal and detailed agenda will be circulated in Washington:

  • “1. Adoption of Planning Committee report.
  • “2. Consideration of paragraph 6 of Planning Committee report.17
  • “3. Report of sub-committees on coasting and short sea trades.
  • “4. Questions of brokerage.
  • “5. Plans for familiarizing contracting governments with working of present allocation machinery.
  • “6. Discussion of personnel requirements of the contracting governments for their representation on committees of UMEB.
  • “7. Discussion of accession of other governments to the agreement.”

4.
Upon receipt of your approval of the foregoing invitations shall be sent out, including cabled invitation to Canada. [Reed.]
Gallman
  1. Paragraph 6 of report recommended that consideration be given by contracting governments to establishment by UMEB of certain of the committees in advance of the UMA period.↩