Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, General: Political and Economic Matters, Volume II

740.41112A/2–845: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, February 8, 1945—10 p.m.
[Received February 8—8 p.m.]

1404. For WT.¹²

1. Black List¹³ Committee February 6 amended decision of October 19 to make no further additions to Black List by agreeing that additions should now be made for substantive cases.

Reurtel 57, January 3.¹⁴ Committee’s decision to discontinue practice of automatically including directors and partners of listed firms in Black List still stands. Matter was discussed with Bliss by Peterson¹⁵ and Andrews¹⁶ following Department’s instruction to former. Committee’s decision reached at instigation of Bliss, who wished to have unfrozen Black List as basis for discussion in his visit to Washington following his return from Switzerland.

2. Board of Trade representative reported his Department’s disagreement with Department’s fundamental view that published and confidential lists should continue as complementary weapons of economic warfare as long as blockade and export controls continue. For Department’s information, it is unlikely that Black List will continue in effect after cessation of hostilities in Europe, inasmuch as it was promulgated by MEW, which will probably be liquidated shortly after European hostilities terminate. TED¹⁷ of Board of Trade will probably then assume remaining listing responsibilities largely in connection with post-hostilities Statutory List.

3. Embassy would appreciate Department’s comments on future of Confidential List¹⁸ after cessation of hostilities in Europe. Department’s 7489 September 14¹⁹ indicated Confidential List might be abolished or at least its functions materially reduced if it were retained.

Winant

12. Division of World Trade Intelligence.
13. Established by the British as a facilities list applying to trade between neutral countries.
14. Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. ii, p. 204.
15. Avery F. Peterson, Second Secretary and Consul at the Embassy in London.
16. Archie M. Andrews, Junior Economic Analyst at the Embassy in London.
17. Trading with the Enemy Department.
18. Established more or less as a secondary Proclaimed List; that is, it was intended to prevent American traders from having commercial relations with undesirable persons and firms in neutral countries as well as to control trade between neutral countries on the part of objectionable persons and firms in those countries.
19. Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. ii, p. 187.