Officials here said that the negotiations—between the United States, Great Britain, Vichy, France and the North African colonies had been in progress several weeks, They expressed doubt that the recent announcement, of closer "collaboration" between Germany and France would have any effect on the plans, 'The proposed deal is "purely a business transaction," it was said, and does not involve any arrangement, or attempted arrangement, with' General Weygand and his North African army, because no war supply shipments are to be made, It was pointed out that a similar arrangement already has been made with the French island of Martinique—also cut off from trade with France—and French funds "frozen" here have been released to pay for the supplies needed on the island.
Robert D. Murphy, counselor of the American Embassy in Vichy, made the preliminary study and arrangements for the proposed North African deal, it was learned, during a recent extensive tour of the French African colonies.
Mr, Murphy, who finished consultations at the State Department last week, is now en route to Vichy, and presumably North Africa to make the final arrangements and set up a staff of Americans to supervise distribution of the American goods there.
The negotiations have not been completed, it was emphasized, and final approval depends on agreements still to be reached, The United States, it is understood, requires adequate assurances the raw materials needed here are procurable, and that none of the American goods sent in exchange will be re-exported outside of Morocco, Tunisia and Algiers, Great Britain likewise wants guarantees that the goods will in no way assist Germany after being allowed io pass through the blockade,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.