811.79682/15
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Stephen Latchford of the Division of International Communications
A conference was held in the office of Mr. Thomas Burke, Chief of the Division of International Communications, on October 3, 1940, for the purpose of discussing the question whether American air transport interests should be encouraged to seek operating rights to Liberia. Those present were as follows:
Department of State:
- Division of International Communications:
- Mr. Burke
- Mr. Stephen Latchford
- Division of Near Eastern Affairs:
- Mr. Henry S. Villard
- Division of European Affairs:
- Mr. Lewis Clark
- Division of the American Republics:
- Mr. Walter N. Walmsley, Jr.
- Mr. Livingston Satterthwaite
War Department:
- Lieutenant Colonel A. Franklin Kibler
Navy Department:
- Commander Malcolm S. Schoeffel
Civil Aeronautics Board:
- Mr. Samuel E. Gates
- Major Melvin Hall
- Mr. Harry A. Real
In opening the meeting Mr. Burke made reference to certain negotiations between this Government and the Government of Liberia leading up to an invitation recently received from the Liberian Government through the American Legation at Monrovia for American air transport interests to apply for operating rights to Liberia. The following is a summary of Mr. Burke’s remarks:
The United States entered into an aviation agreement with Liberia in June, 1939, which accords the right for aircraft of either country not engaged in scheduled operations to make flights in the other country. At the time this agreement was entered into, there was an exchange of notes between the American Legation at Monrovia and the Liberian Government, not given publicity, in which that Government undertook to notify the Government of the United States in the event that any foreign interests should seek to establish air transport services in Liberia. Subsequently, certain Spanish emissaries approached the Liberian Government with a view to acquiring aviation rights in Liberia. The American Chargé d’Affaires at Monrovia was instructed to point out to the Liberian Government the political implications which might be involved in granting to Spanish interests rights to conduct services wholly within Liberia or a transatlantic operation with Liberia as a base. The American Chargé d’Affaires was instructed to say that while no definite assurance could be given that a service by an American carrier would be considered economically feasible, we would be glad to give consideration to the appropriate disposition of any invitation which the Liberian Government might extend to American air transport interests to operate to Liberia. It appears from reports received from Monrovia that the Liberian authorities have not been disposed to grant operating rights to Spanish interests, and the Department is now in receipt of a telegram from the Chargé d’Affaires conveying an invitation from the Liberian authorities for American air transport interests to make application for operating rights in Liberia.
Mr. Burke said that while the representatives of the Civil Aeronautics Board would of course have views to express on the question of economic feasibility, he thought it would be well at that stage to invite the comment of the Army and Navy representatives on the national defense angle.
[Page 766]Commander Schoeffel said that it was his belief that the Navy Department would not have any direct interest from the standpoint of national defense in the establishment of an air base in Liberia, although he felt that it was highly important that everything possible be done to discourage the establishment of air bases in Liberia by the Axis powers or by any interests that might be affiliated with them. With respect to the technical aspects of the question, he stated that it would appear from his information that there are no suitable areas along the coast of Liberia which could accommodate naval planes. It is doubtful whether the Navy Department would favor the establishment of any base which it would not be in a position to defend and should any elaborate installations be made by American companies there would be the danger that they might later be taken over by the Axis powers. Commander Schoeffel said that he was in sympathy with any action which could properly be taken to discourage any approach by foreign powers to obtain a foothold with respect to aviation in Liberia, and suggested the possibility that an American commercial air transport company might be able to provide facilities at a reasonable cost which perhaps could be destroyed in an emergency. He also offered for discussion the suggestion that if some way could be found to conduct surveys in Liberia with the ostensible purpose of establishing aviation facilities, this might have the result of discouraging any approach on the part of foreign interests to establish themselves in Liberia, even though no definite steps should be taken by the American interests toward the actual establishment of air services.
Mr. Gates said he thought that as a rough estimate, the cost of operating an air transport service to Liberia might be as much as from five hundred thousand to three quarters of a million dollars a year, and that he did not believe that the Civil Aeronautics Board would be disposed to approve such a project unless it had a very definite national defense angle, and was desirable from the standpoint of international policy. In response to a question by Mr. Gates, Commander Schoeffel said that he personally did not believe that the Navy Department would be disposed to advocate an appropriation of such an amount on the theory that it was desirable from the standpoint of national defense.
Colonel Kibler stated that in general he believed that the Army would agree with the viewpoint of the Navy, that is, while the Army would not look with favor upon aviation facilities being established in Liberia by the Axis powers, the facts would not warrant any extended outlay from the standpoint of national defense for an air base which could not be defended by the armed forces of the United States.
[Page 767]Mr. Burke raised the question whether it would be desirable to acquire certain rights in Liberia which would pave the way for commercial operations, possibly by establishing a link in an air transport service which would extend into Liberia. Mr. Gates thought that this might present the same problem as would arise in connection with the establishment of an elaborate commercial base for transatlantic operations.
Mr. Villard presented for the general information of the conferees certain information which had been received from Mr. Harvey Firestone, Jr., who is interested in rubber plantations in Liberia. Mr. Villard stated that Mr. Firestone had presented a copy of an article appearing in the New York Daily Mirror of September 21, 1940, pointing out the strategic importance to the United States of the Republic of Liberia. Mr. Firestone indicated that he was in entire accord with the description of Liberia as a point upon which the defense of the Western Hemisphere might find support. He also presented aerial photographs of the port of Marshall in Liberia which he described as being suitable for seaplane landing operations, and said that it would be of very considerable advantage to the Firestone Company if an American airline would offer a service to Liberia. The Firestone Company would send all of its mail and express matter via plane in that case, and would assure the airline of a large percentage of its passenger business. He concluded by saying that Liberia offered the only place in Africa where there would be some justification for the United States to interest itself.
Mr. Gates asked in connection with any surveys made by Mr. Firestone whether it had developed that there were areas large enough for seaplanes to take off. It was stated by Mr. Gates in this connection that a run of at least five miles would seem to be necessary. Mr. Villard stated that he had in his conversation with Mr. Firestone referred to the possibility of using Fisherman’s Lake about forty miles northwest of Monrovia, as a landing place, but that Mr. Firestone had replied that according to the report of his aviators, this body of water, which is six miles long, is deceptively shallow and is filled with tree stumps which are not visible at high water. Although the size and situation of the lake were practically ideal, it might not be possible to use it for landing purposes, and it was thought that if an air service were seriously contemplated it would be necessary to conduct a careful survey of all possible landing sites in Liberia. In answer to a question, Mr. Villard stated that the Firestone interests employ about 110 white persons. This led to some discussion as to what amount of potential traffic might be available to an American air carrier. Mr. Gates again stated that regardless of this factor, the actual cost of operation of a transatlantic service would be quite heavy as he had [Page 768] previously indicated. He said, however, that the problem of Liberia was not altogether academic, since there is actually pending an application before the Civil Aeronautics Board by Pan American Airways to operate a service from the United States to Capetown, via Puerto Rico, Natal (Brazil) and Bolama (Portuguese Guinea), and there might be involved the question whether the carrier should be authorized to use Liberia instead of Bolama as an alternate stop on the route to Capetown. Mr. Villard remarked that American Export Airlines had also expressed some interest in the possible extension of a service into Liberia.
Mr. Burke remarked that we had heard the comments of the representatives of the Army, Navy and Civil Aeronautics Board who had expressed their views without, of course, undertaking to commit their superiors, and that he thought it would be in order to have some discussion of the pending problem from the standpoint of foreign policy.
Mr. Clark of the European Division stated that he could not see that in view of the limited national defense interests, the payment of a large subsidy in order to establish an American service would be warranted from the standpoint of foreign policy so far as the European Division is concerned.
However, Mr. Satterthwaite and Mr. Walmsley of the Division of the American Republics thought that the matter was of considerable interest and importance in connection with the aviation situation in Brazil, from which it is likely that any South Atlantic air service would operate on a route to Liberia. Mr. Satterthwaite thought that in connection with any desire of this Government to discourage South transatlantic operations by French, German or Italian interests, the Brazilians would be more impressed if there was the possibility of a service by a United States carrier from Brazil to Liberia. Mr. Walmsley expressed the view that our prestige in Brazil would be enhanced by a transatlantic service between Brazil and Liberia.
Mr. Latehford made reference to the statements of Commander Schoeffel and Colonel Kibler to the effect that their Departments would not look with favor upon the establishment of air transport facilities in Liberia by the Axis powers, and suggested that perhaps an important point was to consider whether if American transport interests did not go into Liberia the Liberian Government would have difficulty in discouraging approaches by foreign interests looking to the establishment of aviation bases in Liberia. It was suggested in this connection that possibly consideration might be given to the negotiation of a brief air transport agreement giving United States air transport interests an option to establish air transport services. It was thought that if such an agreement should be given publicity [Page 769] it might lend moral support to the Liberian Government in holding off alien interests even though we do not take advantage of the option. There was some discussion of this point, and Mr. Burke expressed some doubt as to whether anything would be gained by establishing rights for American carriers which would not be availed of. Possibly even in this case the Liberian Government would have some difficulty in withstanding the pressure of foreign interests.
However, the Department’s representatives indicated that they were expressing only their personal viewpoint and that any definite ruling in the matter would depend upon the decision of the policy officers of the Department.