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by the United States would be profoundly appreciated by the Duce.
 
     I continued by saying that another desirable and practical demonstration of cordiality 
 
between us would be an increase of beneficial trade relations. At this moment all neutral countries
 
found their normal export trade severely curtailed. It would surely be helpful to Italy and the 
 
United States to find some satisfactory method of enlarging a mutually beneficial volume of trade
 
between them. I emphasized that, of course, to make possible such an arrangement the two
 
Governments must find a meeting of minds as to principles and policies, but that I hoped that 
 
friendly study and consideration of all of the factors involved might pave the way for the desired
 
solution.
 
     The Minister once more heartily concurred, and said that the experts of his Government 
 
would be at our disposal whenever we desired them. Since the Ambassador had told me that
 
Count Ciano does not interest himself in commercial questions nor in any economic problems, I 
 
did not continue in any detail this topic of conversation.  I then said to the Minister that he was, of
 
course, fully familiar with the purpose of my mission. I said that I was directed by the President to 
 
report to him upon the present possibility of the establishment in Europe of a stable and lasting 
 
peace--that was the only kind of Peace in which my Government was interested; the President
 
was not interested in any precarious or temporary peace which would in essence, be no more 
 
than a patched-up truce.
 
     I felt it desirable to make very clear that I was not empowered