811.20 (D) Regulations/1048
Memorandum Prepared in the Office of the Secretary of State
Colonel Maxwell, Administrator of Export Control, has informed the Department that he is being urged by both the Army and Navy Munitions Board and the Advisory Commission to the Council of National Defense to take steps with the least possible delay to have a proclamation prepared to add the materials listed below to those now subject to the export license system.
| Copper | Zinc |
| Brass | Nickel |
| Bronze | Potash |
The Colonel states that reports which he has received convinced him that it is absolutely essential to the carrying out of our defense program that the exportation of these materials be restricted and existing supplies conserved and augmented.
The proposed restrictions on the exportation of copper, brass, bronze, and zinc would cover many manufactured articles as well as the raw materials. The proposed restrictions on the exportation of nickel would be designed particularly to prevent the exportation of nickel scrap. At the present time, we are importing nickel from Canada for our own needs on the understanding that it will not be exported, [Page 625] but, in spite of this understanding, nickel scrap is finding its way to Japan. The restrictions on the export of potash would be made applicable only to the higher grades of potash salts.
Under the arrangements between the Department and the Administrator of Export Control, the directives according to which licenses are issued or applications for licenses rejected are formulated in accordance with the views of the Department when considerations of our foreign relations are involved. The Administrator has stated that, unless the Department, for reasons of foreign policy, desires that directives for the issuance of licenses authorizing the exportation of the materials listed above be otherwise formulated, he will propose that:
- (1)
- Licenses for the exportation of copper, brass, bronze, zinc, and nickel be granted freely for shipments to the British Empire, that licenses be issued authorizing the exportation of very limited quantities to the other American republics, and that no licenses be issued authorizing shipments to other destinations unless in some particular case the Department desires that an exception be made.
- (2)
- Licenses for the exportation of potash be granted freely for shipments to the British Empire and that licenses be granted authorizing shipments in usual prewar quantities to other destinations.
If it is found to be desirable to make some exception in respect to the exportation of the large quantities of copper which are brought to this country from South America, refined here, and then exported to Japan, arrangements will be made to authorize the issuance of the necessary export licenses.96
- This memorandum was submitted to President Roosevelt who returned it to the Secretary of State with the notation: “C. H. OK F. D. R.” For the President’s proclamation No. 2453, January 10, 1941, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 238.↩