Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

840.50/760

Statement Authorized by the Department of State and Delivered by Sir Frederick Leith-Ross at the Third Meeting of the Inter-Allied Committee on Post-War Requirements, October 1, 1942⁴⁶

Leith, October 1, 1942

Sir Frederick Leith-Ross is authorised to inform the Allied Committee in London:

1. that he has had a series of informal discussions in Washington with a number of American officials interested in post-war relief for victims of the war; that the purpose of these discussions was to enable the American officials to obtain first-hand information and impressions in regard to the work and experiences of the Allied Committee in London and to be in a position to have definite studies for submission to the President;

2. that Sir Frederick Leith-Ross has found that the United States Government is vitally interested in a solution of the relief problem; that the appropriate agencies of the American Government are assembling all possible information in regard to all the factors involved and are studying various suggestions as to how a relief programme could best be implemented;

3. that he has been informed that it is the view of the American Government that all of the United Nations should have a share in the carrying out of the relief programme and should be prepared to contribute on a fair and equitable basis to a relief programme which can be commenced as soon as the aggressors begin to be driven from the occupied countries;

4. that his conversations in the United States have convinced him that the Government of the United States will be prepared to do its fair part in such a programme;

5. that he has been informed that the appropriate officials of the United States Government propose to continue their work and studies in this field with a view to examining plans to meet as many contingencies as possible and to having ready at the proper time proposals to put forward to meet the situation;

6. that the American Government would be glad to consider any studies prepared by other interested Governments;

7. that he has been informed that while the United States Government appreciates fully the desirability of the early preparation of plans for the administration and substance of relief, it does not believe that in the present posture of the war the time has yet come for formal discussion of an agreement looking to these ends;

8. that the timing of definite action will have to depend on the progress of the war and that while the most intensive study of ways and means of meeting various contingencies is desirable, the American Government feels that it is essential that publicity in regard to these studies should be avoided, although no secret need be made of the determination of the United Nations to be fully ready to meet the problem.

46. Text from the minutes of the meeting of the Committee transmitted to the Department by the Ambassador in the United Kingdom in his despatch No. 5888, October 6; received October 27.