Concheso Receives a Revised Proposal on Sugar

American ambassador George Messersmith emphasized that Cuba had promptly declared war on Japan, Germany, and Italy. He feared that withdrawing an economic assurance at that moment would damage years of diplomatic cooperation. [1]

Cuba's sale of its 1942 sugar crop was tied to negotiations over access to the American market. In December 1941, the Cuban government wanted assurances that its position would be no worse than under the Sugar Act of 1937. American ambassador George Messersmith warned Washington that retreating from the promised protection could cost both the crop purchase and the supplementary trade agreement. [1]

On 17 December, State Department officials met Cuban ambassador Aurelio F. Concheso in Washington with a revised proposal. Congress was considering sugar legislation, and the department wanted the executive branch to promise its best efforts to protect Cuba's position without binding future congressional action. Concheso said he had followed the legislation closely and understood the department's position. He said he would telephone his president and send both texts by mail. [2]

The instructions sent to Havana preserved a fallback that Concheso was not told about: Messersmith could accept the original note if insisting on the revision would destroy the agreements. The department was seeking Cuban acceptance while keeping that concession in reserve. [3]

The supplementary trade agreement was signed on 23 December. The separate exchange of notes for the 1942 crop purchase followed on 29 January after further discussions in Havana. [4] [5]

Messersmith telephoned his warning to Washington from Havana to save time. [1] [2] [3]

Related Diplomats

1. Aurelio Fernández Concheso [2]
2. Sumner Welles [4] [6]

Related Reading

• Cuba and the United States
• Republic of Cuba