811.79682/65

The Minister in Liberia (Walton) to the Secretary of State

No. 190

Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s Airgram No. A–22, July 26, 1943, and to state that, in my opinion, there is little or no likelihood of obtaining for Pan American Airways and its personnel the exemptions in Article 4 of the Defense Agreement of March 31, 1942, between the Government of the United States and the Government of Liberia, because: (1) It is quite probable that the Government of Liberia would take the position that such an amendment would become coterminous with the life of the Agreement concluded between the Government of Liberia and Pan American Airways on July 14, 1941; (2) It would appear that the Liberian Government is inclined to believe that Pan American Airways is carrying others than members of the armed forces and civilians whose transportation has been approved as essential to the prosecution of the war.

It has occurred to me that probably a temporary arrangement might be effectuated designed to obtain for the duration the desired exemptions for Pan American Airways and individual members of the Pan American Airways staff.

Respectfully yours,

Lester A. Walton