Office of the Historian

740.00112A EW/11–1045: Telegram

The Chargé in Ecuador (Shaw) to the Secretary of State

Quito, November 10, 1945—8 p.m.
[Received November 12—12:56 a.m.]

798. ReDepcirtel October 30, 112 concerning hard core Proclaimed List and confidential memorandum prepared in ES13 October 1 addressed to Working Party giving case summaries for Ecuador. Latter document obtained from British as no copy has been received by Embassy.

FonOff note November 7 received yesterday afternoon offers guarantee that Ecuadoran Government will not under any circumstances [Page 1050] return blocked properties to former Axis owners and renews request that all Ecuadoran names be deleted from Proclaimed List. Embassy’s note of November 9 in reply14 states Department being advised of assurances and that Embassy recommends all Ecuadoran names be deleted except those Dept may consider most serious. ForMin also states that as Permanent Legislative Commission did not act on disposition of blocked properties within 180-day period prescribed by decree of March 2 any further action in the premises normally would not be taken until next ordinary Congress meets in August 1946. He assured me personally and orally that no such action would be taken. I delivered my reply to ForMin note in person at which time I pointed out that I would take as broad recommendations as possible but that I could give no assurances that Dept would agree or act on my recommendations. Mydes 3666 of November 915 confirming my recommendations herein below, together with copies of notes mentioned above, going forward tomorrow’s airmail sack.

I recommend Dept accept ForMin’s assurances as reasonable guarantee properties will not be returned to former Axis owners. This recommendation made because the names suggested for removal are really unimportant and have been retained largely as a bargaining point to obtain the assurances or guarantee mentioned above. It is realized Congress might take action contrary to the executive guarantee but if matter remains dormant until August 1946 this seems unlikely.

[Here follows recommendation for retention of 37 names on hard core list and deletion of all other names.]

The British agree on all recommendations herein except the one just mentioned.16

I would appreciate a brief indication of the Dept’s action on the above as soon as it is taken so that I may advise ForMin who is under attack politically and who is extremely desirous of being able to state as much in advance of the Congress of December 1 as possible that his efforts have resulted in a substantial list of deletions.18

Shaw
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Division of Economic Security Controls.↩
  3. Neither note printed.↩
  4. Not printed.↩
  5. This concerned the deletion from the Proclaimed List of one Rafael Pino Roca.↩
  6. According to telegram 672, November 19, 1945, 8 p.m., to Quito, the deletions were approved by the Inter-departmental Committee on the Proclaimed List (740.00112A E.W./11–1045).↩