800.8820/1074a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Bowers)
240. It is requested that you consult the appropriate officials of the Chilean Government as to what instructions can be given to the operators of the Chilean Line to cooperate in lifting the cargo specified monthly shipping programs. The Chilean Line has been extremely selective in its choice of cargo. As a result, its vessels carry very little low-paying cargo, which compels other vessels in the Chile−United States run to carry more than their share of such freight. The cargo carried by the Chilean Line does not always coincide with the monthly shipping programs. In order to effectively carry out these programs, it is essential that the commodities specified in the programs should be [Page 864] distributed among all vessels in the Chile–United States trade, including the Chilean Line.
Please cable reply as soon as possible.48
- This complaint originated in the Board of Economic Warfare and led to direct correspondence with the Chilean Line, which provided a reply from which the Department concluded that the movement of cargo was affected by circumstances not always in the control of the company.↩