740.00112A EW/9–2845: Circular airgram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Representatives in the American Republics
The Interdepartmental Proclaimed List Committee is reconsidering the present plan to reduce the Proclaimed List to a hard core in the near future and maintain the hard core until approximately one year after V–E Day. In view of the cessation of hostilities in both Europe and the Orient and the consequent relaxation or the withdrawal of controls necessary to the maintenance of an effective List, consideration is being given to the feasibility of maintaining the List substantially in its present form and setting an early date for the complete withdrawal of the List. Under this proposal there would be no further group deletions except possibly for a cooperative country such as Brazil where intermediate names have not yet been deleted. The date of complete withdrawal under this proposal probably would be about February 1st instead of one year after V–E Day. No final decision on this proposal has yet been reached by the Interdepartmental Proclaimed List Committee. However, the general outline of the proposal has been communicated to the British.
Pending a decision on the foregoing proposal the Interdepartmental Proclaimed List Committee, with concurrence of the British, has agreed that reduction to a hard core, if it is to occur at all, shall be postponed from September until November. You may therefore expect the general reduction to the hard core to be made in November unless the proposal outlined above is adopted, in which case you will be notified immediately. The Interdepartmental Proclaimed List Committee has not decided whether an October supplement will be published in the event the plan to reduce to a hard core in November remains unchanged. Publication of the October supplement will [Page 672] depend on whether missions believe any deletions are necessary before reduction to hard core. If there are any such cases in the country to which you are accredited, please report immediately.
The fact that the proposal described in the first paragraph of this airgram is under consideration should in no way affect work in connection with the selection of a hard core. The Department is continuing its work in this connection with all possible dispatch and the missions should do the same.
This airgram is being sent to all Diplomatic Missions in the other American republics, even though a reduction to a hard core has occurred for a few countries, so that all missions may be informed of developments with regard to the Proclaimed List policy.