411.919/9–1853: Telegram
The Ambassador in India (Allen) to the Department of State
512. Re Deptel 287, September 15. I have given Pillai pencilled slip of paper, as coming from me, containing suggestion for oral statement he might make to me on Battle Act shipments which I could recommend to Washington (Deptel 253 September 3); Pillai tells me he is seeing Prime Minister Nehru September 20 on this subject and hopes to obtain favorable answer. He believes Nehru will approve statement if we can change phrase in third sentence of section in quotes in reference telegram from “Battle Act commodities” to “strategic commodities which we have been discussing”. Since Battle Act is specifically mentioned in preceding sentence, I believe reference is clear enough and hope we can accept this change.
I did not mention negotiations for purchase thorium nitrate, believing it preferable to get general question out of way first.