811.42745/11–2144
The Special Assistant, Division of Cultural Cooperation (Peck), to the First Secretary of the British Embassy (Trevelyan)
My Dear Mr. Trevelyan: I take pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of your letter of November 21, 1944 (F. 170/44) describing [Page 289] the proposal for an exchange between this Government and the Government of India of agricultural experts and summarizing points upon which preliminary indications of the views of the Department of State would be welcomed.
On the basis of our conversations and of your letter under acknowledgment I have discussed the plan, in outline, with other interested officers of the Department of State and of the Department of Agriculture. As a first step toward the possible carrying out of this plan, I am authorized to say that, subject to the practicability of an agreement on details, the Department of State is heartily in favor of an arrangement whereby American agricultural specialists shall be made available for employment in India in posts in which they may be able to give advice and guidance to Indian agricultural workers and whereby Indian agriculturists may be placed in the Department of Agriculture at Washington for training. An officer of the Department of Agriculture has orally stated that that Department would view the proposal with equal favor.
Officers of the two Departments are now engaged in a study of the tentative proposals set forth in your letter.
Sincerely yours,