740.00112 European War 1939/8–144: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
6095. Department and FEA are glad to hear Keller has accepted terms of your letter of July 15th. Your 5624, 15th,88 gave the text of two letters to Keller. We presume your 6134, August 1st, 8 p.m. refers to first letter. Did Keller reply to second letter and if so what was the nature of the reply?
We do not understand Swiss delegation’s reference to reductions in ceilings with regard to trade with Japan and transit through Switzerland, and would like to know specifically to what they refer. From our point of view, the transit situation is by no means satisfactory. Department’s telegrams 5852, July 26, 8 p.m., and 5960, July 29, 1 p.m.89 If you are not of same opinion, please inform Department on what you base your conclusions.
We are not willing to permit Swiss to export three locomotives before the end of September, since, for your confidential information, with the rapidly changing military situation we will probably wish, prior to the end of September, to request the Swiss to reduce drastically or even embargo shipment of war commodities including locomotives to Germany (our 2398, July 13, 5 p.m. to Bern repeated to London as Department’s 5499). Are you completely satisfied as regards the type and price of these locomotives? How do Swiss justify the high price named for the shunting engines?
Escape clause as described in 1 (b) of Bern’s telegram to London 1352, August 1, 8 p.m. repeated by Bern to Department as 4952,88 appears inadequate and unsatisfactory to us. You are requested to remind Keller in this connection of representations made in Bern in accordance with our 2398 to Bern. (To Legation Bern: You are [Page 757] also requested to remind Minister of Foreign Affairs of above-mentioned representations.)
Swiss request to let them lift 3,000 tons of cotton and 1,000 tons of wool from sources overseas will be studied. We would like information as to what these overseas sources are.
Sent to London, repeated to Bern.