4o
StS C<R £ T. V '
M.Ii.(41)-21st Meeting.
COPY NO
1
BRITISH JOINT STAFF MISSION IK VASMirrCON.
MINUTES of Meeting helc at ^05*5^ Whitehaven Street,
on FRIDAY, 29TM AUGUST. 1941, at 11.0 d.m.
PRESENT:-
Lieut.-General Sir Colville Y.'enyss.
(In the Chair).
Air Marshal A.J, Harris.
Captain a.D. Selben, R.N:.
THE FOLLOYiriO .•ERE ALSO PKBSSKT: -
Major-General F.G. Beaumont-     Air Commodore A.L.Fiddament
Nesbitt,
Lieut.-Colonel F.'.V. Vo£el.
Group Captain S.C.
Strafford.
V/ine Co'.imander U. Banks.
(For Iter. 1).
SECRETARIAT:-
Cpnmiarider R.D. Coleridge, R.N.
liajor R.F.G. Jayne.
1.    U.S. LEASED BASS3 - LOCAL D^KCi: CU23TICK5.
(Previous Reference:   ".::.(41) 20th Meeting. Min. 1).
(K.:t.(41) 1V1).
THE COMMITTED had before them a draft Memorandum
to the Chiefs of Staff covering the Letter of
Transmittal and Agreement or. the Leased Bases. (U.K.(41)
133).
THE C0?"!ITTEE: -
(a) Instructed the Joint Secretaries to
prepare, for the signature of the
Heads of Missions, a copy of this
J'enorandum*, as amended in the
discussion.
(b) Instructed the Joint Secretaries, as
soon as the signed copies v:ere received
from the U.S. authorities, to prepare a
GLEAli telegram stating that the Agreement
had been signed, and would be taken
back tc England by "Ving Connander Banks.
?Subsequently circulated as       (41) 133
-1-
/
2.- ALLOWANCES FOR 1X:33RS OF "ISSIONS Ik' WASHIi'STOi*.
(Previous Reference: I-:.1.1,(41) 17th "citing,
Minute 4.)
LIEUT.-GENERAL vffiMSS reminded the Committo.
that no report had yet been received from the
Committee set up in accordance with        (41) 17th
Meeting, Conclusion 4(a).     He understood that the
Committee had been unable to reach a unanimous
decision, and suggested that if this were the case,
the Committee should be instructed to forward
this report, together, if necessary, with a
minority report, in time for it to be considered
by the Heads of Missions at their next meeting
on TUESDAY, 2ND   SEPTEMBER, 1941.
AIR ilARSHAL HARRIS agreed that the Committee
should produce the result of its deliberations
before Tuesday, and suggested that, if agreement
had not been reached, the members of the Committee
might state their case before the Heads of
Missions at this meeting.     Ho felt that any rates
agreed on for Washington need not be generally
applied to other places in North America, as
expenses in V/ashington were known to be higher than
" in any other city;   and this fact had been '
recognised by the U.S. Committee which had considered
living allowances to be paid to American Officers
and officials working in Washington.
THE CO?£IliTEE;-
Instructed the Joint Secretaries to
inform the Committee which had boon
set up to consider the question of
allowances, that their report,
if necessary containing a minority
report, should be available to the
Heads of Missions for their meeting
on TUESDAY, 2ND SEPTE;3ER, 1941.
3.    RECRUITMENT OF TECHNICIANS IN THE U.S.A.
AIR MARSHAL HARRIS said that General Brett,
of the U.S. Army Air Corps, uas leaving
by air on the following day for the middle East.
After examining the position in the Middle East,
he would fly on to England.     General Brett's terms
of reference were very wide, and it was understood
that after examining our requirements in the IJiddle
East, and discussions in London, he would make .
detailed recommendations to ::r. Hopkins and General
Arnold,     Air Marshal Harris had suggested to
General Arnold that General Brett should not
only deal with air requirements, but with the
requirements of all three Services.
The existing Civilian Technical Corps was
being handled by the R.A.F. Delegation.   Air Marshal
Harris understood that :ir. Hopkins proposed that
the U.S. authorities should raise the new Corps of
Technicians, and that they should be financed on
Lend-Lease terms.   If this were so, it would probably
-2-
be necessary for %he U.S. authorities to absorb
into their new organisation the existing Civilian
Technical Corps, in order that the pay and
conditions of service of the two organisations
should be similar.   He proposed to discuss this
matter with *!r. Hopkins.
In reply to a question from General 'V^myss
AIR IIARSHAL OABKiS undertook to find cut whether
British nationals in the United States would be
eligible to join the Civilian Technical Corps.
TH3 COMMITTEE took note of th^ above
statements.
4.    :iCmS OF V/ORK OF BRITISH MISSIONS.
THE considor-d the -proposal which
had been before the Supply Council at their last
meeting, that British missions in sfcshington
should conform acre closely to the U.S. hours of
work.
THE C0!Ti:iTTE2:-
Agreed to consider this matter further
on receipt of the result of the
Supply Council's enquiries on this
natter.
7; ashing ton, D.C. ,
29TH AUGUST, 19^1