740.00112 European War 1939/11–644
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Woodruff Wallner of the Division of Western European Affairs
Dr. Feer35 called at his request to inform me that his Government had learned that by order of a General Gray, whom he understood to be in command of Army Transportation in France, all Swiss traffic by rail and by truck into France had been prohibited. He asked if we had been informed of this measure and I told him that we had been advised that General Eisenhower36 intended to handle the whole question of Swiss traffic into France on the basis of operational requirements and that in view of the transportation difficulties in France, we were not surprised at this decision. He also wanted to know whether the ruling was based on transportation alone or whether there was an angle of Military Intelligence. I replied that I did not know but assumed that both aspects might well be involved.
Emphasizing the importance to Switzerland of having an outlet toward the Allied countries, Dr. Feer inquired what steps he might take to obtain fuller information as to the scope and duration of this [Page 782] measure. He indicated that the first move was to inquire from SHAEF37 through the Swiss Minister in London, but he also seemed anxious to know the Department’s position. I stated that General Eisenhower had full powers to make decisions of that kind based on military considerations without reference to Washington. I said that in a general way we were interested, insofar as operational requirements permitted it, in having traffic resumed with Switzerland but that we generally were reluctant to make suggestions to SHAEF based on political or economic considerations. I added that in view of the present indeterminate state of our negotiations with the Swiss Government on the question of transit traffic, we were hardly in a position now to make any suggestions of any sort regarding General Gray’s order. It was my intention to create by innuendo a grave doubt in Dr. Feer’s mind as to whether or not we had really been behind the order prohibiting Swiss traffic in France. I believe I succeeded in this. In any case, Dr. Feer understood that we would not give consideration to intervening with the military authorities for the resumption of Swiss traffic through France until the transit question was satisfactorily settled.
Dr. Feer was much depressed as a result of the recent rebuff administered to Switzerland by the Soviet Government. I am preparing a second memorandum on this subject.38
- Edward A. Feer, Counselor of the Swiss Legation.↩
- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe.↩
- Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force.↩
- Memorandum dated November 6, not printed; reference is to the Russian reply to the Swiss request for renewal of diplomatic relations between the two countries.↩