860D.48/1–645: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6 p.m.]
216. ReDepts 10164, December 4, midnight.13 An informal letter has just been received from the Foreign Office commenting upon the desire of certain private groups in the United States as well as the American Red Cross to send relief supplies and funds to Finland.
According to the Foreign Office it is fairly certain that no relief supplies will be sent from the United Kingdom to Finland, at least until considerably more has been done than has heretofore been possible to give aid to the Norwegians. The Foreign Office letter states that their own feeling would be that the despatch of relief on any substantial scale to Finland, especially if shipping had to [be?] provided for this; purpose, could only be effected at the expense of liberated Allied territories, and in particular Norway.
However the Foreign Office states that this objection would clearly be less applicable to the despatch of relief on a small scale from the United States by private groups through existing channels of transport. The British Government itself though would not wish to assist an ex-enemy country with relief supplies while it is still not possible fully to meet the needs of its Allies. The Foreign Office states that it recognizes of course that the position of the United States is different inasmuch as the United States has not been at war with Finland.
- Not printed.↩