562.8F4/35: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant )
73. It appears that the Department’s Telegram 49, January 3, 1944 substantially answers the inquiries made in Embassy’s Telegram 20, January 3, 1944.
We may further point out that it is difficult to see how our interests could be adequately represented without the technical advice and assistance of Dr. Kellogg. In addition to technical assistance, there are also certain questions of future policy and action which have been discussed with Dr. Kellogg and in regard to which he will be in a position to inform the other members of our delegation.
The instructions for our delegates set forth two important purposes among others:
- (1)
- To forestall any tentative commitments with respect to any matter on which it may be desirable to defer judgment and action until a later date.
- (2)
- To make every practicable effort to lay the ground work looking toward the holding of a subsequent whaling conference in Washington.
Our purpose in planning a conference in Washington is to offer an opportunity of formulating in the near future a program based on sound principles of conservation that would give effective protection to existing stock of whales especially in relation to our national requirements of certain whale oil for industrial and military uses. The President has approved this latter purpose, and the Department is especially desirous that it be placed before the conference in a comprehensive and effective way.
In the above circumstances the Embassy will be aware that in the absence of Dr. Kellogg undue responsibility would be placed upon the other members of our delegation. We accordingly hope strongly that principal work of Conference can be deferred until Kellogg arrives.