Office of the Historian

Paris Peace Conf. 102.1/5: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace

Washington , January 15, 1919—6 p.m.
[Received January 16—noon.]

246. For Davis from Glass, Treasury 706.

  • First. In accordance with word received from President I am accepting Crosby’s resignation as special finance commissioner in Europe and advising him that the President trusts his plans will make it possible for him to hold himself available for consultation on financial matters as occasion may arise during Peace Conference.
  • Second. President has approved your retaining Goodhue, Loree and Harris to assist in Europe. Please express to them my hope that this will be agreeable to them. Approve of Goodhue’s assisting you in armistice negotiations.
  • Third. Are there any others of Crosby’s organization whom you need in Europe? Please ask those whom you need to remain, the others whose names please cable, I assume Crosby will direct to return. Crosby’s 777 repeated in his 690 [903]32 agrees to release of Walter A. Peck, code clerk attached to his staff. Please cable whether you need him, if not will have directions sent him to return. I am arranging to send Sawyer to Paris in accordance with your suggestion.
  • Fourth. I hope to be able to arrange for Lamont to go to Europe to assist you in connection with armistice discussions and other matters that may arise.
  • Fifth. I have indicated to President my approval of your serving on council, which Peace Mission advises me by cable 186 of January 7, 4 p.m. has been formed.
  • Sixth. At the request of Mission, approved by the President, I am sending Strauss for short stay in Europe to advise on financial matters. He has assisted in formulating Treasury’s policy in regard to various problems which have arisen with cessation of hostilities and will be in a position to explain my personal views on these subjects.
  • Seventh. Except as our future loans are related to purchases of food in the United States I do not desire that there should be negotiations or discussions in Europe concerning our making further advances. The conversion of or other dealings with the demand obligations which we hold, or the tax on maturing interest rate quantities on any long time obligations which we may receive in exchange for demand obligations, or regarding any claims for dollar reimbursement, should be discussed only in Washington. See our 687.33
  • Eighth. I am in receipt of a message from President in which he states that he entirely concurs with my view that so far as the Peace Commission or Mr. Hoover or others in Europe are in need of financial advice they should obtain it from persons acting under my general direction and responsible to me.
  • Ninth. Considerable confusion will be avoided if you will number your cables to the Department.
Polk
  1. Neither printed.↩
  2. Department’s telegram No. 6881, Jan. 7, 1919, 5 p.m., to the Chargé in France, p. 709.↩