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Minutes of Plenary Session No. I, Anglo-American Conversations on Petroleum, July 25, 1944, 4 p.m.29

July 25, 1944, 4 p.m.

United Kingdom Delegation:

  • The Right Honorable Lord Beaverbrook, Lord Privy Seal, Head of Delegation
  • The Right Honorable Richard Law, Minister of State
  • The Right Honorable Ben Smith, Minister Resident in Washington
  • The Right Honorable Ralph Assheton, Financial Secretary to the Treasury
  • The Right Honorable Geoffrey Lloyd, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power

United States Delegation:

  • The Honorable Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, Chairman
  • The Honorable Harold L. Ickes, Petroleum Administrator for War, Vice Chairman
  • The Honorable James V. Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy
  • The Honorable Robert P. Patterson, Under Secretary of War
  • The Honorable Leo Crowley, Foreign Economic Administrator
  • Mr. Ralph K. Davies, Deputy Petroleum Administrator for War
  • Mr. Charles Rayner, Petroleum Adviser, Department of State

Advisers and Staff:

  • Sir William Brown, Chief Adviser, U.K. Delegation
  • Mr. Harry C. Hawkins, Director, Office of Economic Affairs, Department of State, Adviser, U.S. Delegation
  • Mr. Victor Butler, Secretary, U.K. Delegation
  • Mr. James C. Sappington, Assistant Chief, Petroleum Division, Department of State, Executive Secretary, U.S. Delegation
  • Mr. John A. Loftus, Petroleum Division, Department of State, Recording Secretary

1. Secretary Hull opened the meeting by welcoming the U.K. Delegation. He observed how encouraging a portent for the future it was that these two delegations were assembled to talk constructively on one phase of international cooperation. He adverted to the importance of petroleum as a commodity, both domestically and in international trade. He said that he conceived it to be the object of these conferences to discuss all of the implications and problems of international trade in oil in the future. The hope shared by both delegations was that out of these conversations there would emerge a better understanding in matters connected with the international petroleum trade. Secretary Hull expressed the hope that the principles which would constitute the basis of agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom would soon receive a wider adoption and would become the corner stone of a broad world-wide agreement on international petroleum problems.

2. Secretary Hull stated that it was his understanding that these conversations would be based upon the Memorandum of Understanding dated April 29, 1944 which had been agreed to on an ad referendum basis by the technical delegations at an earlier date. He stated that the U.S. Delegation had considered and approved certain minor changes which he would table for consideration by the U.K. Delegation. Copies of the agreed draft of April 29 and of a memorandum indicating the changes proposed by the U.S. Delegation were distributed. He suggested that subcommittees be appointed by each delegation to consider these proposed changes and any amendments that the U.K. Delegation might care to suggest.

3. Lord Beaverbrook thanked Secretary Hull most warmly for the welcome extended to his colleagues and himself.

The Government of the United States had already made immense efforts for the furtherance of international cooperation and the British were in full accord with the broad principles which had been laid down.

The discussions upon which we were about to enter would be a pattern for the many problems of international organization which would be coming up for consideration by the Governments of the United States and Great Britain.

He referred to the proposed Memorandum of Understanding. The British Government wished to make certain amendments but these were solely concerned with subjects which had been specifically reserved at the earlier discussions at an official level.

He welcomed the proposal of submitting the amendments suggested by the United States and British Governments to a special subcommittee [Page 121] and nominated the Financial Secretary to the Treasury as the Chairman of the British group.

He hoped that it would be possible for the subcommittee to clear the various points at a single session, in which case a further meeting might be held on Thursday with a view to the signature of an agreed document.

4. Copies were distributed of a memorandum setting forth in parallel columns the agreed draft of April 29, 1944 and a draft as proposed to be amended by His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom.

5. Secretary Hull nominated to the United States subcommittee, Mr. Rayner, Mr. Davies and Mr. Hawkins.

6. It was moved to adjourn until Thursday, July 27, at 3:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourned 4:35 p.m.

  1. Minutes of the remaining four plenary sessions not printed.↩