Paris Peace Conf. 182/28a: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate
Peace to the Acting Secretary of
State
Paris
, January 7, 1919—4 p.m.
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
