890.24/8–1845
The Administrator of the Foreign Economic Administration (Crowley) to the Chairman of the Chinese Supply Commission (Wei Tao-Ming)
Dear Dr. Tao-Ming: In view of the termination of hostilities, the Foreign Economic Administration is desirous of entering into discussions and negotiations immediately with you relating to the discontinuance of its lend-lease aid to your government in an expeditious manner which will best promote the mutual interests of our respective governments and which will be consistent with the provisions of the Lend-Lease Act. I suggest in connection with such discussions and negotiations with respect to the lend-lease programs undertaken by the Foreign Economic Administration that the following general principles should apply:
- (a)
- No new contracts should be entered into for goods or services to be furnished on lend-lease terms.
- (b)
- Supplies which are now in the process of manufacture, in storage, awaiting shipment, or not yet transferred to your government, and services within presently agreed programs, may be obtained by your country, to the extent that they are available, against payment on appropriate terms and conditions.
- (c)
- All existing supplies which have been transferred to your government on lend-lease terms and which are in shipment or under the control of your government in inventory may be retained by your government against payment on appropriate terms and conditions.
- (d)
- Cash reimbursement lend-lease will be available for sixty days after V–J Day during which time requisitions within presently agreed programs may be filed with the Foreign Economic Administration.
It will be necessary in the course of our discussions to have an inventory of lend-lease supplies furnished by the Foreign Economic Administration still under the control of your government. It is requested, therefore, that you furnish, as soon as possible, an inventory listing, as of V–J Day, all articles that have been transferred to your government by the Foreign Economic Administration on lend-lease terms and that have not been lost, destroyed or consumed. I will be glad to discuss with you the principles upon which such inventory should be prepared.
Sincerely yours,