Laughlin to Secretary of State
Title
Laughlin to Secretary of State
Creator
Laughlin, Irwin B. (Irwin Boyle), 1871-1941
Identifier
WWP25447
Date
1918 November 8
Description
Request for instructions about control of prices with Britain
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Baruch, Bernard M. (Bernard Mannes), 1870-1965
War profiteering
Contributor
Anna Phillips
Relation
WWP25446
WWP25445
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
RS Blue.
London.
Dated Nov. 8, 1918.
Recd. 9, 1;25 a.m.
Secretary of State,
Washington, D. C.
Routine. 3509, November 8, 12 a.m.
Baruch from Summers. Mailed you few days ago letter calling attention to British reconstruction. Briefly plan contemplated fixing definite point at which uncompleted material will be put aside to be completed, or will be turned into scrap (rejected?). Stages of manufacture of each article have been so determined. This enables decisive policy to be at once adopted. Definite arrangements have been made to terminate work, and compensation is provided by agreement which has been arrived at in principal cases independently of terms of contract.
British Government is much concerned over the attitude United States will take in regard to continuing control of essential commodities to avoid sudden demand exhausting available stocks, and producing profitering prices. Impossible immediately to release control of shipping as private control of this would enable tremendous profitering in all materials. American boards here are all in favor of some gradual relinquishing of control in order to meet tremendous demands and avoid complications that would otherwise follow. Have you any instructions along these lines?
LAUGHLIN
London.
Dated Nov. 8, 1918.
Recd. 9, 1;25 a.m.
Secretary of State,
Washington, D. C.
Routine. 3509, November 8, 12 a.m.
Baruch from Summers. Mailed you few days ago letter calling attention to British reconstruction. Briefly plan contemplated fixing definite point at which uncompleted material will be put aside to be completed, or will be turned into scrap (rejected?). Stages of manufacture of each article have been so determined. This enables decisive policy to be at once adopted. Definite arrangements have been made to terminate work, and compensation is provided by agreement which has been arrived at in principal cases independently of terms of contract.
British Government is much concerned over the attitude United States will take in regard to continuing control of essential commodities to avoid sudden demand exhausting available stocks, and producing profitering prices. Impossible immediately to release control of shipping as private control of this would enable tremendous profitering in all materials. American boards here are all in favor of some gradual relinquishing of control in order to meet tremendous demands and avoid complications that would otherwise follow. Have you any instructions along these lines?
LAUGHLIN
Original Format
Letter
To
Lansing, Robert, 1864-1928
Files
Collection
Citation
Laughlin, Irwin B. (Irwin Boyle), 1871-1941, “Laughlin to Secretary of State,” 1918 November 8, WWP25447, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.