812.24/3635
The Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 27.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s Instruction No. 4768 of November 15, 1943,12 transmitting a memorandum13 from the Chief of Office of the Office of Exports, Foreign Economic Administration, setting forth a detailed plan for effecting a “roll-back” of the decentralization plan for Mexico as of January 1, 1944.
On instructions from the Ambassador, the Counselor of Embassy for Economic Affairs discussed the “roll-back” plan in detail with Mr. Primo Villa Michel, President of the Comité Coordinador, on the morning of November 18. Mr. Villa Michel was told that in accordance with a recent letter from President Avila Camacho to President Roosevelt, requesting a simplification of export controls on exportations from the United States to Mexico, studies had been under way in Washington to determine ways and means of effecting this simplification. He was further told that conditions surrounding different products in the United States, at times, changed very rapidly and that the inability of Mexico to screen, distribute and issue export recommendations for the vast number of Class B products in time to meet the requirements in Washington was working greatly to the disadvantage of Mexico, because many licenses could not be issued. Under the circumstances it was stated to him that our Government was ready to aid Mexico in this situation by proposing a return to the original [Page 259] Decentralization Plan A, as agreed to by the two Governments, and this would mean the elimination from decentralization of the vast number of Class B products which are giving the Comité Coordinador and the Department of National Economy so much additional work. Mr. Villa Michel, after some consideration, inquired as to when our Government desired to place the new “roll-back” plan into effect and he was informed, as of January 1, 1944. He stated that he believed that the return to Plan A would solve many of the problems which the Comité Coordinador is now encountering. He recognized that the present set-up of his coordinating committee could not properly and timely issue the necessary export recommendations for the vast number of products now required under the Decentralization plan. Mr. Villa Michel stated that he personally favored the “roll-back” plan as it had just been presented to him and that he would discuss the entire matter with the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the course of the day, advising the Embassy as soon as possible. It was quite evident from Mr. Villa Michel’s attitude that he considered a return to the original agreement on decentralization as the best means of solving the inability of the Comité Coordinador to issue export recommendations on both raw materials and class B products in time to assure Mexico of their effectiveness in Washington. He indicated that he would present the “roll-back” plan as favorably as possible to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and, unless he encountered some unexpected obstacle, the Embassy anticipates that the proposal will be accepted.
Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Embassy for Economic Affairs