Paris Peace Conf. 182/28a: Telegram

The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State

186. For Polk [for Glass]: The President has approved the following memorandum:

  • “1. As you are aware, our government has been represented in Europe upon various Interallied Councils, relating to finance, food, shipping and raw materials, war trade measures, etc. The purpose of these councils is rapidly changing and the American attitude toward them and the problems they represent must change. The matters involved are much interlocked and up to the time of the armistice were coordinated through the Council sitting under your chairmanship. Messrs. Hoover, Hurley, Baruch and McCormick are, or will soon be, in Europe. The working of these bodies still needs coordination by the heads of the departments concerned, who will be in Europe together with the chief representatives here of the departments whose heads are still in Washington.
  • 2. This same group are essential in determination of policies to be pursued by our government in the Peace negotiations.
  • 3. It is recommended that a council be set up, comprising Messrs. Hoover, Hurley, Baruch, and McCormick and Davis, with a Treasury Representative to be appointed by Mr. Glass, under your chairmanship, to discuss and decide such joint policies as are necessary in both these phases and to co-ordinate it with the Peace Commission by inclusion of Colonel House, General Bliss, and Admiral Benson, Colonel House to act as Chairman in your absence or inability to find time.”

[Page 556]

Inasmuch as Davis has been appointed Commissioner to represent the United States in matters pertaining to finance at Spa and has been instructed by Secretary Glass to hold himself in readiness to furnish such advice as the President may require in connection with Treasury matters during the coming conferences, it would seem to be proper that Davis should be the Treasury representative on this committee. Please show this telegram to Secretary Glass and request his approval for Davis to act on this committee as Treasury representative.

Am[erican] Mission