File No. 763.72112/581
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11.15 p. m.]
1415. I learned to-day privately that the British Government to avoid trouble about copper shipments made an offer to the big American copper producers to buy their whole output during the war at the average price for the last three years and that this offer was refused.
A part of the Cabinet, though not a majority, were in favor of making a similar offer for the whole American cotton crop. No such offer therefore for cotton was made.
This must be absolutely secret unless the copper offer should be made public by British Government or the copper producers.