Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

800.24/7–748

Memorandum by President Truman to the Secretary of State

Washington, July 7, 1948.

Memorandum for the Secretary of State:

Attached hereto is a memorandum determining the end of the emergency referred to in the Master Lend-Lease Agreements, in accordance with the recommendations contained in your memoranda to me of March 5, 1948, and July 2, 1948.¹

The recommendation made in your memorandum of July 2, 1948, to the effect that the determination receive no publicity at the present time, meets with my approval.

Harry S Truman

[Attachment]

Determination of the End of the Emergency Referred to in the Master Lend-Lease Agreements

Memorandum for the Secretary of State:

The Master Lend-Lease Agreements between the United States and various lend-lease countries concluded under the authority of the Act of March 11, 1941, contain provisions whereby these recipient countries have agreed to return to the United States “at the end of the present emergency as determined by the President” such defense articles as shall not have been destroyed, lost or consumed and as shall he determined by the President to be of use to the United States.

This will notify you that I have determined that the emergency relative to the lend-lease program referred to in the quoted provisions of the Master Lend-Lease Agreements has terminated. You are directed to make determinations, under the authority delegated to you in Executive Order No. 9630 of September 27, 1945, of the defense articles which are of use to the United States and, under such authority to take measures to effect the return of such articles by the recipient lend-lease countries. This determination does not affect the obligations arising from separate agreements with various countries in connection with silver provided under the Act of March 11, 1941.

Harry S Truman

The White House, July 7, 1948.

1. The latter memorandum is not printed. It also reported that the approval of this determination of the end of the emergency had been obtained from both the Departments of the Army and Navy, in letters of May 10 and June 19 from the former, and April 10, 1948 from the latter, none printed. (861.24/6–1948)