256 FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1942, VOLUME II

740.0011 European War 1939/19586: Telegram

The Chargé at Tangier (Childs) to the Secretary of State

TANGIER, February 19, 1942—noon.
[Received 3: 25 p. m.]
 84. For Shaw.72 In accordance with urgent request of War Department to Bentley
and Donovan to Eddy, Consul General Russell
was requested several weeks ago to accord his cooperation in assisting in
obtaining information desired concerning airports French Morocco and information
concerning Moroccan coast line.
 The airport work has been completed with one exception. The only specific
complaint so far made against these activities which were bound sooner or
later to attract some notice, however discreetly made, has been that of Admiral
d'}]Iarcourt against Bentley and Culbert (see Legation's 57, February 9 74).
 In reply to an oral inquiry transmitted to me from Russell by Vice Consul
Reid ~ this week concerning the attitude of the Consulate in the case of
renewed complaints I stated that in my opinion this work was of great urgency,
that we had to foresee the raising of possible further questions with regard
to it by the French if not protests which should be dealt with as they arose
with the greatest possible diplomacy.
 Russell now telegraphs that "While I am not obstructing in any way
I most
emphatically protest against such arrangements and point out that they are
certain to lead to expulsion of control officers from this zone, thus making
obtaining of further information here impossible. I strongly urge reference
of this whole matter to the Department as it transcends the authorization
received [apparent omission] officers here to abstain from carrying out recent
order temporarily until I receive reply from you. Information received from
friendly members of Deuxième Bureau indicates previous work of
control
officers on airfields is completely tabulated and there is strong indication
of rising opposition to their conduct which may well result in their arrest
and expulsion. All this work may well be interpreted as espionage and in
any case will circumscribe the usefulness of this office in the future."
 When the protest of d'Harcourt was made Bentley was informed by a high ranking
French officer that no attention need be paid to it and when I was recently
in IRabat I was assured that General Noguès while being under
no illusions
concerning Bentley's excuses and his professed ignorance of the naval character
of the airport at Port

72 G. lowland Shaw, Assistant Secretary of State.

72 H. Earle Russell, Consul General at Casablanca.
Not printed.
75W. Stafford Reid, Vice Consul at Casablanca.