File No. 600.119/1191
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France ( Sharp )
5640. For McFadden [from War Trade Board]:
No. 296. Your 366, Embassy 4874, August 24, 12 p.m.1 The War Trade Board is in favor of the creation of an inter-Allied committee in Paris, primarily to deal with Swiss affairs, but also to study the Spanish situation and to be in a position to deal with any aspects of [Page 995] the Spanish question which may be referred to it. If the British Government would appoint an able representative on this committee, it would doubtless greatly assist in a proper solution of Spanish questions. We are inclined to the view, however, that Spanish problems as a whole can best be solved through the creation of a strong inter-Allied organization in Madrid itself. We feel that such an organization in which the Associated Governments would repose confidence and to which they would confide responsibility would be in the best position to influence the Spanish Government and to secure the results desired by the Associated Governments. We are giving careful consideration to the development of this latter plan, but if in the meantime a Paris committee can be formed as suggested by you, the other proposal favored by us should not be allowed to defer the setting up of the Paris committee.
- Not printed.↩