740.00112 European War 1939/10818: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 19—4:40 p.m.]
1778. Situation increasingly tense as company worried about continuance secret embargo agreement now entering second week. Just [Page 546] returned from 2 days’ negotiations in country and have not receded whatever from our positions as all ball and roller bearings are war materials within the wording and meaning of Decree No. 65 of 1937 and export licenses should be denied. Have now proposed that company urge Government to shortly announce enforcement of this law and in due course appoint a commission of independent Swedish citizens to determine what bearings are war materials, the commission to take evidence for 2 months during which time all export licenses denied to any belligerent, and at end of period all bearings determined as war material to be embargoed for balance of war. We believe this will create important delay and we have insisted that if this action is taken we retain any right of action thereafter. Hamberg, President SKF, planning to put this proposition before Boheman tomorrow. We are not sanguine of success but hopeful.
Above message for FEA from Griffis and Poteat.
Repeated to London as my 436, May 19, 5 p.m.