FS
This telegram must be                        Paris
closely paraphrased be-
fore being c ommunicated                     Dated October 17, 1939
 to anyone. (D)
                                        Rec'd 715 a.m.
 
Secretary of State,
 
     Washington.
 
     RUSH
 
     2487, October 17, 10 a.m.
 
     PERSONAL AND SECRET FOR THE PRESIDENT
 
     With reference to enclosure No. 1 to my letter of October 4, 1939,  I now have the text of
the agreement which Monnet concluded in London for the coordination of French- British
economic activites during the war covering shipping, air production  and supply raw materials and
munntions, oil and food.
     Monnet was informed by the British Government that you had indicated to Lothian that
you considsrsd a British mission preferable to a purchasing  corporation. The question will be
decided in Paris tonight or tomorrow. Because of the  pooling of resources by the French and
British Governments achieved agreement the French Government is inclined to believe that it
would be preferable to make purchases in the United States through a single joint Franco-British
mission.
     My opinion is that a joint Franco-British mission would be the most efficient mechanism.
                                                  Question one.