600.119/1715a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Great Britain ( Laughlin )14
For Sheldon [from War Trade Board]: No. 1677. Following is the text of a press notice which will be published tomorrow, November 22.
“The changed situation arising out of the signing of the armistice makes it possible for the War Trade Board to alter many of their regulations governing the exportation of certain commodities, which the continuance of the war has heretofore made it necessary to conserve much more strictly than present circumstances require. For the war needs of the United States and the Allies, the War Trade Board have limited the exportation of many commodities which may now be spared for general export trade, as they are no longer needed for war purposes. In pursuance of this policy, the War Trade Board are now revising as rapidly as possible their rules of conservation, and in conformity with such revision, the Conservation List will be materially abbreviated. The War Trade Board are now in a position to grant many export licenses which heretofore have been refused for reasons of conservation.
“There are now, and for some time to come there will be, certain commodities the exportation of which must be carefully controlled because of the general world shortage, but even for the exportation of these commodities licenses will be granted as freely as possible. The issuance of licenses will be greatly facilitated if exporters will state on their applications whether the licenses are required for business which is actually in hand, subject to export license, together with the dates of their orders.
“In connection with the foregoing, exporters should be advised that, while it is no longer necessary to conserve commodities for war purposes, it may become necessary to regulate the exportation of certain commodities essential to the rehabilitation of Europe and Siberia; and exporters should be further advised that it may become necessary to place restrictions upon the exportation of bulky commodities by reason of the scarcity of tonnage available. The return of troops, the carriage of supplies for troops not yet returned and the carriage of commodities required for relief and reconstruction abroad, make demand upon the world’s tonnage of such magnitude that it is impossible as yet to determine when there will be an increase in the tonnage engaged in unregulated trade. Tonnage continues to be the controlling factor, and when reconstruction is well under way, it may become necessary to subject certain raw materials to rationing.
“The War Trade Board also call the attention of exporters to the fact that the Trading with the Enemy Act still remains in full force and effect.”
Important. Give publicity.
- The same, on same date, to Embassies in Argentina, Brazil, France (for McFadden, No. 457), and Japan (War Trade Board No. 138).↩