837.5018/73
The Ambassador in Cuba (Braden) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 24.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s airgram No. A–78 of January 14, 1944, instructing the Embassy to seek at once from the Cuban Government a definitive, favorable reply to the Embassy’s note No. 1155 of October 25, 1943,75 relating to price stabilization in Cuba.
The airgram under reference expressed the opinion of United States agencies that Cuba should not increase ceiling prices for rice, and that any future increase in the ceiling price of a basic foodstuff should be the subject of prior discussion between the Cuban Government, the Embassy, and the interested agencies in Washington. These instructions have been carried out and the Cuban Government was informed of the foregoing in the Embassy’s note No. 47 of January 19, 1944, a copy of which is attached.
The Embassy desires to draw attention to the fact that compliance with the United States request not to increase the Cuban ceiling price of rice has led to almost complete non-enforcement of such ceiling price. Importers for several months have been unable to buy their usual types of low-quality southern United States rice on which Cuban ceilings are based. As a consequence, prices have risen to a level which covers the cost of high-quality rice and the situation now is largely beyond the control of the ORPA.76 Rigid enforcement of ceiling prices in Cuba, assuming that it were possible, would create great difficulty as it would curtail import of high-quality rice and thus create acute shortage. In this connection, reference should be made to the Embassy’s previous despatch no. 5536 of December 28, 1943.77 If prices to consumers are to be effectively controlled, it is most urgent that United States agencies consider not only the quantity but also the quality of rice destined for Cuba under the Combined Food Board allocation and take measures to insure supply of the lower-quality.
[Page 922]No mention of wheat flour was made in the Department’s airgram. The Embassy is receiving requests each day concerning the wheat flour situation, with specific reference to the base port for shipment mentioned by ORPA in the Cuban note No. 3728 of December 23, 1943,78 and to the export program in prospect for 1944. Information on these subjects, with reference to the Embassy’s comments in airgram A–105 of January 15, 1944,78 would be most helpful in disposing of these requests.
Respectfully yours,
Agricultural Attaché
- Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. vi, p. 217.↩
- Oficina de Regulación de Precios y Abastacimientos (Office for Regulation of Prices and Supply).↩
- Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. vi, p. 221.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Not printed.↩