781.003/60: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson)
496. Your 782, December 16, 7 p.m. You will appreciate that the Department does not wish to be placed in a position where it will be drawn actively into the Anglo-French negotiations for a Moroccan commercial treaty. The eventual American-French negotiations for treaties covering capitulations and commercial rights will cover numerous subjects and it would appear undesirable for us to become involved at this time in subsidiary discussions with the French regarding quotas. However, the Department realizes that there may be advantage in cooperating with the British in the expectation that they will insist upon a definition of economic equality in their treaty in keeping with our own views on the subject.
The Department definitely would not wish to have the Foreign Office show the memorandum to the French Delegation. Before considering whether it would be desirable for the Foreign Office to indicate to the French Delegation our general attitude as expressed therein the Department desires to have you obtain the views of the Foreign Office as to why such action is considered advantageous. After you have obtained those views the Department would like to have your own comments as to the desirability of the suggested action.
In your recent discussions did you receive any impression as to whether the Foreign Office was in general agreement with the principles set forth in the Department’s memorandum?