856.48/3–545
The Netherlands Embassy to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
The Netherlands Government is negotiating with the British Government regarding deliveries of foodstuffs destined for the larger cities in the Western part of the occupied Netherlands, where, as is well known, conditions are deteriorating from day to day and indeed the point of starvation has been reached.
These deliveries will consist of 5000 tons weekly, namely, 750 tons of margarine, 4000 tons of flour, 250 tons of foodstuffs for children and ill persons, to wit: infant food, condensed milk, whole milk, oats, powdered sugar, dehydrated eggs and chocolate. Further, a small quantity of medicines which cannot be specified at present but the tonnage of which will be small in comparison with the entire cargo.
Transportation will take place by way of Sweden, because otherwise the German Government would refuse the necessary permit, and the ships will be directed from Sweden to the port of Delfzijl, where the first cargo would arrive in the beginning of April.
The British Government, although favorably inclined to the plan set forth above, doubts whether it will be able to provide the above enumerated quantities in their entirety from their own supplies. However, being aware that the needs of the Netherlands are most pressing and urgent and that the first shipments of foodstuffs should suffer no delay, it is seriously considering to furnish the beforementioned quantities in full for these initial shipments, provided the shortages which thus might arise should be replenished from elsewhere.
The Netherlands Ambassador would be grateful if through the kind intermediacy of the Department of State the above described matter should be submitted to the Combined Boards for such measures of relief as they may deem suitable to take.
In addition, it may be mentioned that the goods to be furnished by the British Government will be purchased by the Government of the Netherlands.
A request similar to the one put forward above will be addressed to the Government of the Dominion of Canada.