690.419/6–2149: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas)

2156. For Martin and McIntyre from Commerce and State.

“Reply urtel 2390, June 21, requesting soonest Washington’s suggestions [Page 857] selected list of 1B items, TSC,45 with Ad Hoc Group representatives in attendance; reviewed full 1B list. Recommendations listed below subject to understandings which follow:

1.
Selected items listed below constitute a tentative list, since not possible in limited time to substantiate fully all selections or to be certain that list inclusive all items which might properly be subjected to prior consultation.
2.
Criteria for selection were two: (1) importance to Chinese economy as indicated by past trade and present info re China’s needs and (2) in few cases, info available here indicating considerable Chinese interest in, demand for specific items. In general, list was compiled not primarily as strategic list, but as list containing bulk of western bargaining strength vis-à-vis China. We are of course concerned about whole of 1B from strategic point of view, particularly in case of metal-working machinery, from which class only six items have been selected. Other items in this category are omitted because they have not figured in past trade and we see no likelihood legitimate civilian need in China; and you should emphasize to British that we would expect careful checking any requests for such items and some prior consultation on any abnormal request for strategic items patently unusual in China trade.
3.
Believe every precaution should be taken not to let existence of selected list undermine U.S. position on full 1B list in discussion re Eastern Europe. All TSC participants stress importance of this point.

Selected 1B Items for Prior Consultation

Following items refer to Class 1B List (No. 4), dated June 1, 1949, and in possession of negotiators:

Metalworking Machinery

Item No. 30. Machinery for drawing and/or tempering wire and tubing .015 inches in diameter or less

35. Metal-cutting tools, not incorporating industrial diamonds, for machine operations: (a) broaching cutting, (b) all carbide and carbide tipped, (c) gear cutting, except milling type, (d) lapping, (e) forming roll sets

42. Heading and upsetting forging machinery

43. Nut forging machinery

66. Honing and lapping machines, except gear, under 8 inches

73. Contour band sawing and/or filing machines

Precision Instruments, Scientific Apparatus, Electronic Testing Equipment, etc.

Item No. 2. Precision multimeters, voltmeters, ammeters, ohm-meters, and micro-ammeters, including portable test types

[Page 858]

7. Precision industrial indicating, controlling and/or recording instruments for pressure, flow temperature, humidity, or gas analysis, n.e.s.

14. Radio transmitting tubes, n.e.s.

15. Radio transmitting apparatus, n.e.s.

16. Radio receiving tubes, n.e.s.

17. Radio receiving sets, communications type

18. Chokes and communications transformers

19. Instruments transformers

Transportation Equipment

Item No. 5. Locomotives and locomotive parts

6. Merchant vessels

7. Internal combustion marine engines, carbureter type, over 50 hp.

8. Railway freight cars, over 10–ton capacity

9. Brake equipment, and parts, (except handbrakes) for freight cars over 10–ton capacity

10. Components for freight cars over 10–ton capacity

13. All multiple-drive vehicles and multi-drive units and components

17. Watercraft, 1500 tons displacement or over

Chemicals

Item No. 19. Phenoland derivatives

23. Rubber compounding agents, including accelerators, antioxidants, and carbon black

38. Chromium compounds, except chromes pigments other than chrome green oxide, zinc chromates and lead chromates

Chemical Equipment

Item No. 11. Acid-resistant tanks, vats, kettles, piping and fixtures made of alloy steels

13. Driers for chemical processes; continuous screen cylinder, drum, rotary, spray, vacuum

Steel Mill Product

Item No. 3. Railway rails, all sizes

4. Steel boiler tubes, seamless or welded

6. Steel wire, strand, cable and rope

8. Railway car wheels, tires and axles

Iron and Steel Manufactures

Item No. 1. Precision micrometers and parts, all types

3. Drills and bits, hard surface steel and tungsten carbide type

Nonferrous Metals and Manufactures (Not including integral parts of other manufactures)

Item No. 2. Copper: Cathodes, ingots, bars, wire, sheets, cable, tubing, alloys, scrap and all other forms

3. Brass and bronze: ingots, bars, rods, shafting, tubing, bearings, and all other forms

4. Lead: Concentrates, matte, bullion, pigs, bars, sheets, tubing, babbitt, solder, scrap and all other forms

[Page 859]

5. Zinc: pigs, slabs, granulated, die castings, and all other forms

Electric Power Generating and Distribution Apparatus

Item No. 2. Power transformers

3. Alternating current generators up to 400 cycles

4. Direct current generators above 220 volts

5. Rotary converters

6. Steam and water turbines for industrial electric power generation

Petroleum Products

Item No. 1. Petroleum products, n.e.s., excluding medicinals

2. Petroleum cokes

3. Petroleum crude oil

Miscellaneous

Item No. 6. Electrical steel (steel containing 0.50% to 5.0% silicon)

9. Diesel engines under 60 hp.

15. Power-driven hoisting equipment for mines, including controls

16. All ball and roller bearings and components

26. Crushers and grinders for mining and chemical industries: (a) all crushers (b) grinders: rolls, ball, cage, rod, pebble and colloid mills

General

In addition above-listed items, we desire prior consultation shipments of any complete plant or integrated unit-process for metal-working, metal fabricating, or chemical industries.[”]

[Commerce and State.]

Acheson
  1. Technical Steering Committee of the Advisory Committee to the Secretary of Commerce.