891.154A/7–1044

The British Embassy to the Department of State

Ref: 173/29/44

Aide-Mémoire

The United States and British military authorities in the Middle East have each lent a number of officers to assist the Millspaugh Mission in the control of road transport in Persia. This control is essential in order to prevent wastage and abuse in the employment of motor transport and to ensure the collection of the forthcoming harvest.

2.
His Majesty’s Government are informed that General Connolly now proposes to withdraw his officers, whereas the British authorities are prepared in the general interest to continue the loan of British officers for some months longer in order to cover the critical period after the harvest. It is understood that the United States Chargé d’Affaires at Teheran has asked the State Department to urge the War Department to order a periodical secondment of United States officers if their periods of duty are not prolonged.
3.
Sir Ronald Campbell79 has been instructed to support the request of the United States Chargé d’Affaires, as in the view of His [Page 340] Majesty’s Government the continued assistance of United States officers, which would have been important in any case, is doubly important if Mr. Millspaugh is to continue for a further three months his efforts to improve economic conditions there.
  1. Sir Ronald I, Campbell, British Minister.