File No. 763.72/7706
The Delegate to the Inter-Allied Council ( Crosby) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1.20 p.m.]
2. For Secretary of the Treasury:
Referring to Russian situation, Crane1 states that no one better than Francis can give proper advice. Please repeat to me anything important from him on Russian situation for use and discussion here. Referring to your cable concerning Italian situation, fully expect confer to-morrow with some of the British authorities recently returned from Italy. I will then wire more fully but probably cannot make intelligent conclusions until conference with French as well as British representatives. Acuteness of Italian and the Russian situations tends to delay full organization of council. Referring to Belgium have just learned that large sums are still in the hands of Relief Commission in New York while London office is without funds to pay pressing necessities. This condition was not reported by Cartier although I have up to the present time urged report of full details of their expenditures from funds loaned. If British representatives will deduct from advances to them $10,000,000, if equal amount of Belgian funds be used for purchase of sterling exchange, see no objection to that course, which will immediately relieve the situation here, though constituting somewhat objectionable precedent of purchase [Page 578] of materials in England which in future should be supplied by that Government. I am also informed by Poland1 that monthly requirements in future will largely exceed advances made in the past. Advise against increasing monthly loans immediately until after I have conference here with Belgian Government representatives. Expect this within the next day or two.