File No. 855.48/809
The plan of reconstruction tentatively outlined in this memorandum has
also been laid before the Governments of France and Great Britain in
accordance with the sentiments expressed by those Governments in the
Declaration of Sainte-Addresse,2 and on other occasions.
In order to facilitate an exchange of views and to arrive rapidly at a
solution of the question, the Government of the King requests that the
Government of the United States will be kind enough to
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designate someone, now in Europe, with
whom the matter may be discussed and to whom any information or
explanations desired by the United States may be furnished.
[Enclosure]
The Belgian Legation to
the Department of State
Memorandum
1. The Belgian Government suggests to the Government of the United
States and to British and French Governments that all orders given
by the Belgian Government for supplies needed for the restoration of
Belgium, be assimilated to war necessities, that is to say, that
they should enjoy a right of preference and be executed by means
similar to those which the Allied Governments have employed to
satisfy war needs.
2. By the expression “industrial and agricultural restoration of
Belgium,” is meant the delivery on Belgian territory of material and
merchandise needed, in addition to what the enemy may have left in
the country, for the reestablishment and recuperation, in equivalent
power and quantity, of means of production and transportation and of
materials, whether raw, in process of manufacture, or finished,
which were in the possession of Belgian citizens on August 4,
1914.
The inventory of such goods and merchandise will be made in good
faith by the Belgian Government.
3. In view of the fact that the length of time within which the
restoration must be effected, is of capital importance, it would
seem advisable that among the means to be utilized for such
restoration, the United States and the Allies would, in case of
necessity, examine the question of taking from their own stocks and
commandeering from governmental and private concerns the necessary
goods and material, whether raw, in process of manufacture or
finished.
4. Payments for goods delivered to Belgium shall be made by the
United States and Allied Governments to their nationals and debited
to a special account opened for Belgium and such payments shall be
reimbursable under conditions to be determined, from the indemnity
to be paid to Belgium by the Central Powers, in reparation of
damages caused.
5. The Belgian Government appoints the “Comptoir National pour la
Reprise de l’Activité Economique en Belgique” as its agents for the
execution of such matters relating to industrial restoration, and
the “Association Nationale pour la Restauration de l’Agriculture en
Belgique” as its agent for the execution of such matters relating to
agricultural restoration.
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6. The needs of Belgium shall be laid before an inter-Allied
commission composed of delegates of those countries which
participate in the restoration of Belgium.
The Belgian Government will present and explain its programs through
a permanent commissioner assisted by technical delegates.
7. The object of this inter-Allied commission will be to make a
summary examination of the programs in order to assert that they do
not include any exaggerated items and then to distribute the
execution of these programs among the Allied countries. In each of
these countries there shall be established a national commission to
which shall be sent the programs assigned to it by the inter-Allied
commission.
These national commissions, composed as they will be of prominent
men, will have a great influence upon the success of the work of the
restoration of Belgium.
8. The rôle of the national commissions will be to make known to
Belgian interests the industrial, commercial and agricultural
resources available in their respective countries for delivery in
Belgium; to bring about, between the Belgian executive agents and
the Allied producers, direct relations with a view to the examining
and discussing the terms and conditions of orders, and ultimately
sanction these orders, giving them the character of governmental
purchases which will secure for them the right of priority proper to
war necessities.
9. Every restitution in kind which it may be deemed opportune to
demand from the enemy will diminish by so much the need for supplies
for the restoration of Belgium. In the same way whatever the Congo
will be in a position to provide will not be asked from the United
States and the allies of Belgium.
