Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, General, The Soviet Union, Volume I

811.20 (D) Regulations/4247

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Henderson)

[Washington,] August 19, 1941.

Mr. Gromyko, the Soviet Counselor of Embassy, accompanied by Mr. Molov of Amtorg called upon me this afternoon. He handed me the attached list of machinery, equipment, and materials which he said represented the materials and articles most needed by the Soviet Government.⁷⁴ He asked that “general licenses” be issued at once by the American Government which would give the Soviet Government the right to export all materials and articles contained in the list in unlimited quantities without individual licenses. He said that this matter was extremely urgent since Soviet purchasing organizations were losing valuable time in obtaining individual licenses.

I told him that the matter of licenses was handled by Mr. Acheson and the Division of Controls. He asked that I bring the matter at once to the attention of the appropriate officials of the Department.

I told him that it was my understanding that we had agreed to issue unlimited licenses covering certain goods exported to the Soviet Union—not general licenses. He appeared to be somewhat hazy regarding the type of license desired but insisted that the most generous type of license be issued at once.

Mr. Gromyko added that the Soviet Government was surprised that up to this time no general licenses had been issued covering shipments of goods to the Soviet Union.

I told Mr. Gromyko that I would at once bring the matter to the attention of the appropriate officials of the Department.

74. This extensive, detailed list, comprised in a folder of 29 pages, is not printed.