Office of the Historian

File No. 855.48/808

Memorandum of the Assistant Secretary of State ( Phillips) to the Secretary of State

October 18, 1918.

Dear Mr. Secretary: The Belgian Minister tells me that Mr. Hoover has telegraphed to the Belief Commission in Belgium to begin preparation for future disbandment of the work of the Commission: in other words to prepare to turn it over to the Belgian authorities. De Cartier thinks this is a great mistake; that Mr. Hoover is moving too rapidly although his intentions are good, and wants us to stay Mr. Hoover’s hand.2

W. Phillips
  1. According to a note in the files, Mr. Phillips brought the Minister’s views orally to the attention of Mr. Hoover on Oct. 29.↩