Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1940, The British Commonwealth, The Soviet Union, The Near East and Africa, Volume III

641.116/2644

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State

[ Washington ,] March 22, 1940.

The Ambassador agreed that the British Government should give out the statement accompanying his letter to me of yesterday’s date⁵¹ explaining the British license policy and the less injurious effects that such policy would have on our exports of agricultural products than an absolute embargo with the resulting harmful impression created in this country. I readily agreed with him that this statement to be most effective should be put out at London rather than by the British Embassy in Washington.

51. Letter dated March 20, received in the Department March 21, not printed.