Office of the Historian

218. Letter From the Acting Secretary of State to the Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization (Flemming)1

Washington, May 5, 1956.

Dear Dr. Flemming: In connection with our conversation a few days ago on crude oil imports, let me give you the Department’s views. We recommend that no addition be made to the list of countries exempted from restrictions on such imports. Venezuela and Canada, which supply the bulk of our imports from the western [Page 598] hemisphere, are already exempted. Colombia and Mexico are relatively small suppliers. Their exemption might lead to requests that we accord comparable treatment to other small suppliers in the area and possibly in other areas. In addition, there are certain problems in our relations with Mexico which make it undesirable to appear to single that country out for favorable treatment at the present time.

Sincerely yours,

Herbert Hoover, Jr.2
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 411.006/5–556. Drafted by Jean H. Mulliken, Officer in Charge of Commodities and Commercial Policy, Office of Inter-American Regional Economic Affairs, and Robert C. Sturgill, Reports and Operation Staff, Executive Secretariat.↩
  2. Printed from a copy that bears this stamped signature.↩