611.4131/9—445: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
7656. For Hawkins from Clayton. With regard to the latest British proposals for handling the discussions on trade policy at the September meeting (reurtel 9014, September 421), we consider it imperative that commercial policy discussions proceed simultaneously with the financial discussions. Accordingly, and particularly in view of the number and complexity of the subjects to be covered in the [Page 117] commercial policy field (employment, trade barriers and discriminations, cartels, commodity policy, and trade organization), it is essential that the arrival of the commercial policy members of the British delegation not be delayed and that they include persons, of equal status with the financial people, who will be authorized to engage in detailed discussions on all of these subjects. Otherwise valuable time will be lost in getting ahead with the financial talks.
Please bring the foregoing urgently to the attention of the appropriate British officials. [Clayton.]
- Not printed; it reported that the British planned to keep their commercial policy experts in London to advise the appropriate government Ministers on the American proposals. They were to be sent to Washington only after consideration of these proposals by the Ministers was completed. (611.4131/9–445)↩