811.20 (D) Regulations/996
Memorandum by Mr. Edward T. Wailes of the Division of European Affairs
There is quoted below the pertinent paragraph from a conversation between Mr. Moffat67 and Dr. Skelton, Under Secretary of State for [Page 609] External Affairs, held68 on October 12, 1940 with respect to the question of export licenses:
“I told Dr. Skelton that I had discussed the metals situation while in Washington. This could be divided into two parts (a) copper and (b) a parallel policy with regard to the exports of strategic products. As to copper, I found there were great difficulties in that if we should embargo its export from the United States nonetheless most of the Chilean and Peruvian copper which would continue to go to Japan would be American owned. We have no way of putting pressure on the American companies unless we bought up all their Chilean and Peruvian output which we were unwilling to do. As to the general proposition I found a good deal of favorable opinion but thought it would take a little while at least to crystallize as so many Government departments were directly interested. Dr. Skelton told me that since Canada had acted on Tuesday last the question of copper was no longer so urgent. He still hoped, however, that we could get together on the broader question of policy.”