Office of the Historian

860D.48/4–1045: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Representative in Finland (Hamilton)

Washington, April 10, 1945—7 p.m.

55. Beurtel 144 April 4.39 Department and President’s War Relief Control Board have been proceeding on assumption nothing could be done in this matter until it had been cleared with Soviet authorities (reurtel 139 March 3140 and previous).

However, following comments are given for your confidential information with reference to statements in your 144:

1.
President’s War Relief Control Board thus far has not licensed any organization to solicit and collect funds for Finnish relief work. Activities of Mrs. Branstrom in this connection would presumably be subject to jurisdiction of Board.
2.
On request of Swedish Legation, Washington, in charge of Finnish interests Department submitted to blockade authorities [Page 645] (through American Embassy, London) inquiry regarding approximately 43 tons of supplies in storage in New York which had been collected prior to June 1941 for relief in Finland. Shipment of such supplies to Sweden for relief there of Finnish refugees was approved by blockade authorities (London’s 2251 March 5)41 and subsequently export license was issued by Foreign Economic Administration. However, thus far actual shipment, which it is understood may be made on vessel chartered by Intercross,42 has not been made.
3.
Treasury Department has indicated informally it is prepared to consider sympathetically application by authorized individual or group for
(a)
transmission to Finland for purpose of relief there or
(b)
use in purchasing relief supplies in United States for forwarding to Finland to be distributed there, sum of approximately $118,000 held by Riggs Bank43 in account of “Legation of Finland” (sub-account Suomen Huolto). Also sympathetic consideration would be given by it to application for use of funds from this account for payment of storage charges on aforementioned relief supplies.
4.
Pending commencement of direct shipping to Finland shipments from outside of blockade would have to go to Sweden for trans-shipment. Since suggested shipment of vitamins and medicines not obtainable from Sweden blockade approval would be required.

Department and Board await with interest information requested in Department’s no. 4 January 25 regarding relief possibilities.

Stettinius
  1. Not printed; in this telegram the United States Representative informed the Department that various private groups and individuals in the United States planned to undertake relief activities for Finland in the near future. He also reported that the Finnish relief agency had questioned him on the use of funds which it had on deposit in a Washington bank. (860D.48/4–445)↩
  2. Not printed; the United States Representative here reported that he had endeavored to ascertain the Soviet attitude toward American relief activities in Finland from Pavel Dmitriyevich Orlov, the Political Adviser to the Allied Control Commission. Orlov promised to consult Moscow on the matter. (860D.48/3–3145) On two previous occasions, February 10, and March 14, the subject had been brought to Orlov’s attention and in each case he had promised to consult his Government. No reply was received.↩
  3. Not printed.↩
  4. International Red Cross.↩
  5. Washington, D. C.↩