Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The British Commonwealth, The Far East, Volume VI

841.24/5–1645

The Secretary of War (Stimson) to the Secretary of State

Washington, May 16, 1945.

Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference is made to your letter of December 12, 1944 in response to the joint letter of November 22, 1944 from the Secretary of the Navy and myself⁹⁵ with regard to the problem of obtaining pricing information and supporting data for the United Kingdom reciprocal aid account.

A review has been made of the results of the discussions held in London by representatives of the Foreign Economic Administration, the Clearing House for Foreign Transactions and Reports and our own representatives, from which we have concluded that although the British Government has now agreed to furnish more pricing data than in the past, they have not agreed to furnish complete pricing information or supporting data.

The position of the War Department, accordingly, remains as stated in the joint letter of November 22, 1944 referred to above. The War Department believes that the manpower and accounting problems mentioned in your letter of December 12, 1944 can now be met in view of the victory in Europe. The War Department believes the British Government should provide the U.S. Government with the same detailed information with respect to reciprocal aid as the U.S. Government provides the British Government with respect to lend-lease aid. The State Department is therefore requested to ask the British Government to provide the information desired by the War Department now that hostilities have ended in Europe.

If the State Department is not willing to press the British for the objectives deemed essential by the War Department, as stated in the joint letters to you of October 4⁹⁶ and November 22, 1944 from the Secretary of the Navy and myself, the War Department will not be in a position to obtain a reciprocal aid account with the accuracy and completeness which it considers necessary and advisable.

Sincerely yours,

Henry L. Stimson

95. For texts of letters, see Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. iii, pp. 83 and 76, respectively. James Forrestal was Secretary of the Navy.
96. Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. iii, p. 66.