740.00112 European War 1939/8–144: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
2642. Department desires that you associate yourself with your British colleague as regards escape clause (London’s telegram to Bern 229, July 28, midnight, repeated to Department as 6027, July 28, midnight).
London’s telegram to the Department also refers in numbered paragraph 5 to paragraph 3(d) of Department’s 5852, July 26, 8 p.m. to London repeated to Bern as no. 2559, and points out that coal constitutes by far the largest volume of enemy traffic and that the Germans may again as during a short period following the Italian armistice in 1943, drastically restrict coal deliveries to Italy. In such an event, a total over-all ceiling in terms of prewar volume would defeat our ends. MEW would prefer, therefore, that the demand be redrafted to read “A limitation of total enemy traffic (other than coal) to prewar level”. Department and FEA approve MEW’s suggestion.
Sent to Bern, repeated to London as Department’s no. 6068.