File No. 103.96/89a
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page )
5842. For McCormick from Jones [of War Trade Board]:
Our 10. Following letter delivered by Nansen late last night to Jones:
In confirmation of my communications to you during our conversation this morning I beg to state that my Government desire me to put the following question to the Government of the United States of America. Would the United States be able to see their way, as far as their ability goes, to secure during the length of the present war the necessary supplies for Norway, if Norway on her side in order to attain this purpose declares herself willing to lead the following unusual policy. Norway reduces her trade exchange with Germany and her allies in the following manner:
- (1)
- Of food articles Norway will only export to Germany and her allies 40,000 tons a year of canned fish, fish and fish products of the kinds covered by the fishery agreement with England and 8,000 tons a year of fish and fish products not covered by this agreement, consequently altogether 48,000 tons a year of canned fish, fish and fish products.
- (2)
- Norway will only export to Germany and her allies the following yearly quantities of the following articles: calcium carbide, 20,000 tons; ferro-silicium, 5,000 tons; calcium nitrate, 18,000 tons; molybdenite, 100 tons.
- (3)
- Of the articles covered by the copper agreement with England, Norway will export to Germany only to that extent which the said agreement makes possible. Norway has already pledged herself to such an obligation by this agreement.
- (4)
- Norway will not at all export the following articles to Germany or her allies: antimony, bismuth, manganese, mica, nickel, tin, titanium, and wolf ram.
The presupposition will naturally be that Norway pledges herself to provide that no American goods imported in accordance with an eventual agreement with you should either directly or indirectly reach the enemies of the United States and also that the Norwegian Government in all cases of export of Norwegian goods to Sweden and Denmark will procure security that such goods shall not reach Germany or her allies in any way contrary to such an eventual agreement with you. It will likewise be the presupposition of such a possible agreement that the carriage to Norway of goods for which the United States give license must not be hindered by seizure from the side of the Allies.1
As was mentioned during our conversation this morning chrome ore is not mentioned by my Government. I presume that this is [Page 1069] due to some mistake but I am telegraphing home for new instructions on this point.
I sincerely hope that the above proposition of my Government may be favorably received by the Government of the United States and that we will be able to reach an agreement on this basis. If this proposition will be accepted I can not think it will give us much difficulty to arrive at a satisfactory agreement as regards the minimum supplies necessary for the Norwegian people.
Letter seems to us here fair basis for negotiation and accords an opportunity for active negotiation invited by them. Our opinion clear and decided that it would be mistake to throw this matter back to Christiania and that negotiations should be carried on here at once with determination to reach best obtainable solution without delay. Board has received no detailed reasons for your recommendation that negotiations should be transferred to Christiania nor arguments of British Government in favor of this change. Please telegraph fully.
- Comparison with another text of Doctor Nansen’s letter indicates that there has been an omission of several paragraphs at this point.↩