865.6131/9–1647
The Secretary of State to the Italian Ambassador (Tarchiani)
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to his Excellency the Ambassador of Italy and has the honor to acknowledge his notes of September 3 and September 16 in which an increase in grain allocations to Italy from the United States is requested and attention is called to the serious political and social consequences which might result from any reduction in rations in Italy. Specifically, the request is made for allocations of 220,000 tons a month. Reference is made in the note of September 3 to savings effected by reduction of consumption in July and August and to efforts to effect maximum collections of indigenous grain.
The United States Government regrets that it is unable to make allocations to Italy in the magnitude requested and thereby to remove uncertainty regarding adequate supplies to meet the present ration. Careful thought has been given to what the United States can make available to various countries for the entire crop-year. The export program during the first part of the year must not be so large that little or nothing would remain to be shipped in the winter and spring when [Page 986] the impact of this year’s unprecedented deficit is expected to be most keenly felt. It is quite clear that no such quantity as 220,000 tons a month can be sustained for Italy and it would be unwise to lay plans regarding procurement and consumption levels with such an expectation in mind.
The successful progress of the Italian amassment has been watched with interest and gratification. However, the increase in consumption which is known to have occurred in July and probably also August, when controls on distribution are understood to have been in part relaxed, has been a matter of concern because of the vital necessity of conserving supplies to meet the difficult winter and spring period. This development is the more disquieting in view of the projection of Italy’s grain position attached to the Ambassador’s note of September 16 indicating that monthly consumption is expected to continue throughout the present semester at the increased rate of 400,000 tons reached in July. This is in strong contrast to reductions in rations which are taking place in other countries in recognition of the necessity of making adjustments to conserve supplies because of the great grain deficit known to exist. It is hoped that means are being found to reestablish effective controls of distribution so that the most careful use can be made of all available resources.