840.50/709
The Chairman of the Inter-Allied Committee on Post-War Requirements (Leith-Ross) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Acheson)
My Dear Acheson: I understand that a note has been prepared in London40 on similar lines to that which the Secretary of State recently handed to the Norwegian, Dutch and Belgian Ambassadors41 regarding the co-ordination of purchases undertaken by these Governments for post war relief.
One qualification which it is suggested to me might be made is that an upper limit should be fixed to any such purchases by administrative action through the Joint Boards. Such a limit, it is thought, might be set at about the level of the Allied Governments own estimate of its requirements for six months. There are, I think, good reasons both in respect of shipping and of supply for some such upper limit since the consequences of disproportionately large stock accumulations might be unfortunate. Could you let me know whether you agree to such an arrangement? If it were to be done administratively no explicit reference in the British note would be made to this limit.
[Page 137]My Government fully agree with your suggestion that, in order to avoid any possibility of error, the London Supply Departments should notify the U. S. Embassy in London of all applications from the Allied Governments received by them, as well as transmitting them to the British members of the Joint Boards. My Government assume that the State Department will similarly arrange to keep the British Embassy at Washington informed of any applications addressed to the State Department and that no application will be considered by the Joint Boards prior to such notification. It is my understanding that this will be arranged but I should be very grateful to have your confirmation of this.
Yours sincerely,