EG
This message must be                         Mexico City
closely paraphrased be- 
fore being communicated                 Dated September 6, 1939
to anyone. (Br)
                                   Rec'd 12:02 a.m., Sept. 7th
 
Secretary of State,
 
     Washington.
 
     272, September 6, 6 p.m.
 
     We have learned very confidentially from the French
 
Legation that the day after war was delayed by France
 
on Germany, Suarez sent for the French Commercial Attache
 
to make him a proposition to have either One French
 
Government or French private interests make extensive
 
purchases of Mexico. At the same time he offered to
 
work out a plan of industrial collaboration with the
 
French. The French Commercial Attache had for some time
 
prior to the declaration of war urged his Government to
 
consider the purchase of Mexican oil in exchange for
 
French exports. He has never received any reply to
 
these suggestions from the French Government and French
 
Legation considers it unlikely that the French Govern-
 
ment will at present favorably consider offers of oil
 
from Mexico. They consider the suggestion of industrial
 
collaboration made by Suarez to be impracticable. We