-A
August 25th, 19U1.
Dear Jerry, | 'J frfo.^
I enclose herein copies of the
two telegrams shout supplies for Turkey which
I mentioned to you over the telephone. Please
treat the references in paragraph 3 of the
longer telegram to Staff conversations as
being highly confidential.
Before we approach the State Depart-
ment on the lines suggested in paragraph 5 of
telegram U688, Campbell would like to know
what this matter really amounts to in practice -
i.e. if the United States authorities were to
agree to our suggestion and to tell the Turks
that they would be given priority for war
materials immediately after the British Empire,
would this in fact mean that the Turks got
what they wanted?   Or is the position that the
supply of available war materials in this
country is so limited that the Turks could only
get what they wanted if the British iinpire
countries were to forgo their own claims? Does
the difficulty of supplying Turkey really arise
from the fact that the United States authorities
are being sticky over the grant of export
licences, or does it arise from the fact that
there are not enough supplies to go around? If
the latter is the correct explanation, then the
United States authorities may well feel reluctant
to give undertakings to the Turks which they can
hardly hope would have much real meaning in
practice.
If someone in the Supply Council could
give us some guidance On these points we should
be/
G.H.S. Pinsent, Ksq., C.M.G.,
The British Supply Council in North America,
Willard Hotel,   Washington, D.C.
FRHM;HK
be most grateful.    In the meantime a further
complication has arisen from the fact that
Colonel Vogel of the Joint Staff Mission tells
me that he has "been summoned to a meeting this
afternoon at the War Department to discuss the
question of supplies for Turkey.    He antici-
pates that the War Department are likely to
take the line that it is a mistake to send stuff
to Turkey at the present juncture.    I will see
that you are told what happens at his meeting.
(30D) F.R. HOYKR MILLAR