811.20 (D) Regulations/1008
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Controls (Green)
Mr. G. F. Thorold, First Secretary of the British Embassy, and Mr. A. D. Marris, First Secretary of the British Embassy, called at my office this morning. Mr. Marris referred to our conversation on November 18, 1940,87a and previous conversations in regard to the policies followed by the British and American Governments in regard to the control of exports. He said that the Embassy had now received definite instructions to take up with the Department the question of possible coordination of these policies, particularly with respect to exports to Japan.
I replied that the Embassy was in a position to inform London that the matter of control of exports was already being discussed between the Embassy and the Department.
Mr. Marris assented but added that the Embassy’s instructions envisaged formal taking up of the matter with a view to a formal agreement. There was, nevertheless, enough latitude in the instructions to enable the Embassy to continue for the time being our informal conversations and to postpone perhaps indefinitely any formal approach to the Department in regard to the matter. Mr. Marris said that, in view of what I had told him the Embassy was convinced that for the time being at least informal discussion was the proper means of dealing with this matter. He stated, however, that he hoped that there would [be] some tangible results flowing from our conversations, in order that his Government might be satisfied that no formal approach with a view to a formal agreement was necessary.
I said that I considered it extremely unlikely that this Government would be prepared even to consider entering a formal agreement to coordinate British and American export controls at this time. I added that modification and extensions of our export control system were being carefully considered, and that I thought that some decisions would be reached in the near future which would be pleasing to his Government. I pointed out that in view of the situation in the Far East so many political questions of the highest importance were involved in the control of exports to Japan that careful consideration and deliberate action in this field were to be expected. I suggested that he prepare a brief informal memorandum88 listing under one heading those further measures in the control of exports which his Government was particularly anxious to see adopted by this Government [Page 620] in the immediate future and under another heading those measures which his Government hoped that this Government would consider with a view to possible action later on. I added that I thought that he had given me all this information in our recent conversations but that such a memorandum would serve to crystallize what he had already told me.
Mr. Marris said that he would follow this suggestion.