740.24112A/8–344
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Bolivia (McLaughlin)
The Secretary of State encloses for the information of the Embassy a copy of a circular airgram dated May 19, 19442 which was sent to American diplomatic missions in the other American republics with the exception of Bolivia and Argentina. This airgram concerned a proposal that the Foreign Economic Administration henceforth screen all license applications solely against the Proclaimed and Confidential Lists and that no further names of consignees be forwarded to the missions for a report on their political desirability as consignees. The missions were requested to submit their comments upon this proposal.
On the basis of the replies received, a large majority of which indicated concurrence with the suggested policy, the Foreign Economic Administration has decided in the future to withhold approval of export license applications on intelligence grounds only in cases where the consignee is included in the Proclaimed or Confidential List and to discontinue the policy of referring names of unknown consignees to the missions with the request that a report be forwarded in each case on their political desirability.
The Department will, however, forward to the missions for their information and for a report if circumstances warrant, periodic lists containing the names and addresses of unknown persons named as consignees for merchandise shipped from this country, together with the amount and value of the commodities approved for export.
The circular airgram was not addressed to Bolivia and Argentina in view of the fact that at that time the Foreign Economic Administration was pursuing a different policy with regard to exports to these countries. With the recognition of the Bolivian Government the above-mentioned procedure is now being applied to exports to Bolivia.
- Not printed.↩