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lever to exercise a certain measure of influence on 
French policy for a number of years. However, it must 
be borne in mind that France will make every effort to 
obtain arms from any source.
 
        We are presently in the process of preparing a 
lend-lease agreement to be proposed to the French,  
and under that proposal these military supplies could 
be furnished on a straight lend-lease basis. However, 
unless the British are agreeable to furnishing comparable 
military supplies to Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and
Belgium on a similar basis, we may have to reconsider the 
implementation of our proposal in order to standardize the 
terms of our arrangements with the French and those made 
by the British with the other four coutries in question.
 
     I recommend further the the Soviet Government be 
informed of what the British and the American Governments 
propose to do, and that it be pointed out that the arming 
of the Western European Allies is on a non-restrictive 
basis.                                               
 
     The foregoing proposal and recommendation 
are not of course related to the equipment and maintenance 
of French ground forces by General Eisenhower for utiliza-
tion in the present campaign against Germany for which the 
General has full authority.