446E.519/6–1952: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in France 1
7548. Re Colombo tels 675,2 669,3 665;4 rptd Paris 8, 7, 6; rptd London 181, 179. Emb shld approach Fr this matter with view confirming that Fr Govt intends refuse license refined sulphur Ceylon and expressing US hope Fr will stand firm.5
US position this question as fols: In response UN resolution May 18 calling for strategic embargo against Commie Chi all rubber producing countries except Ceylon have been embargoing rubber shipments. Despite US representations Ceylon Govt has been unwilling take action prevent continuing sizeable shipments. Because this situaion and in view acute needs other free countries for US refined sulphur, US beginning Oct 1951 has not licensed exports refined sulphur Ceylon. As you know, US supplies considerable amts crude sulphur to Fr. US has preferred not regard its policy as retaliation, but as necessary on grounds refined sulphur used Ceylon for dusting rubber trees,6 [Page 1522] thereby contributing to production which likely be used support Commie Chi aggression against US and UN forces Korea.
- This telegram was repeated for information to Colombo as telegram 459 and to London as telegram 6882.↩
- Telegram 675 from Colombo, June 19, 1952, reported that the French Minister had recently received a note from the Government of Ceylon indicating concern that French authorities were preventing the export of French sulphur to Ceylon. The note was personally delivered by Vaithianathan who added a strong oral plea underlining the importance both he and the Prime Minister attached to the matter. (446E.519/6–1952)↩
- Telegram 669 from Colombo, June 13, 1952, stated that the French Government had replied to its Minister in Ceylon that it had issued no license for the export of sulphur to Ceylon, nor did it intend to do so. (446E.519/6–1352)↩
- Telegram 665 from Colombo, June 10, 1952, reported a Ceylon Times newspaper story that France was willing to provide Ceylon sulphur which the United States refused to supply as a result of Ceylon’s rubber trade with China. The French Mission in Ceylon assured the Embassy that it was in no way involved with making any such arrangements. (446E.616/6–1052)↩
- The Embassy replied in telegram 8139 from Paris, June 27, 1952, that French export licensing authorities had agreed to prevent the export of black sulphur to Ceylon, a commitment which would require France to impose export license requirements on pest control mixes containing black sulphur as a major ingredient (446E.519/6–2752).↩
- Black sulphur was imported by Ceylon to control the oidium disease which afflicted its rubber trees. The disease is a mildew which attacks the young rubber leaf, causing it to shrivel and fall to the ground. The fungus dramatically reduces a tree’s rubber output over the near term and ultimately kills the tree if not brought under control. The use of black sulphur in either a dry (dusting) or wet spray does not eradicate the disease but generally prevents it from spreading. Despatch 51 from Colombo, July 26, 1954, on Ceylon rubber contains more information on this issue (846E.2395/7–2654); see also International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, The Economic Development of Ceylon, pp. 241–242.↩