810.20 Defense/3640
The Secretary of State to Admiral William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy
My Dear Admiral Leahy: I refer to your letter of December 30, 1943, transmitting a copy of the report of the Joint Army-Navy Advisory Board on American Republics, and to Mr. Stettinius’ letter of February 29, 1944, in reply thereto.
In Mr. Stettinius’ letter the Department indicated its approval of the proposal that the Lend-Lease agreements with the other American republics be revised, but advocated the holding of informal joint staff conversations as preliminary steps to such revision. The Department also approved specifically paragraph 5(a) of the report of the Joint Advisory Board with respect to an interim arrangement to be followed [Page 97] pending revision of the Lend-Lease agreements. It is my understanding that an agreement will shortly be reached with respect to the terms of a statement regarding this temporary arrangement, in accordance with the suggestion in Mr. Stettinius’ letter.
Despite the legal authority which this Government has to curtail deliveries to the other American republics under existing Lend-Lease agreements, the proposed statement will not provide for long a satisfactory basis for refusing requests for Lend-Lease materials. To attempt to make it do so would, in my opinion, create political problems of a very serious character which might go far to undermine our relationships with those republics.
I should therefore like to urge that arrangements be completed at an early date for the holding of staff conversations, to be followed rapidly by revision of the Lend-Lease agreements. The Department would appreciate being informed of the plans of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in this regard, particularly with respect to the approximate time when it is expected that these conversations can be begun.
Sincerely yours,