Office of the Historian

Paris Peace Conf. 840.48/6

The French Minister of Commerce (Clémentel) to the Food Administrator (Hoover)

Paris , 4 January, 1919.

My Dear Mr. Hoover: The French press has, this morning, published a communiqué relating to the constitution of the Food Council as well as the undertaking by America of the supply of food to the liberated areas.

The announcement, as worded in the French press, and as presented by certain papers of opposition, caused a belief that America has undertaken the supplies to the liberated areas of France and Alsace-Lorraine.

This has already created a great deal of disturbance in the public mind and in political circles as, if it had been the case, it would be [Page 702] a clear proof of the inability of the French Government to deal with his [its] own problems.

I know that this is not what you had in mind and that what moved your announcement, was the desire to acquaint your own countrymen with the steps which are being taken.

While we fully appreciate your motives, I want you also to appreciate our position in this incident, which is only an illustration of how vital it is that the action which is now being taken, should be taken in common and in common council.

So as to clear up at once the misunderstanding which has already risen in the mind of a good many people in France, the French Government is bound to publish a communiqué explaining this morning’s publication and I am herewith sending you what we will publish in to-morrow morning[’s] paper.

On the other hand, so as to coordinate the action as is necessary, I propose that there should be a joint press bureau attached to the Council which will be entrusted with the work of any public announcement or publication which would be judged necessary in connection with the work which is now being undertaken, and I am now designating to be our representative on this press bureau M. Lefort, with whom your delegates can at once get in touch for any further announcement.

Believe me [etc.]

[File copy not signed]
[Enclosure—Translation]61

[Copy of Statement by French Government for the Press]

A communiqué of American origin was given to the press this morning dealing with the victualling of the liberated areas, in which it was stated that the supplying of these regions had been entrusted to the Food Administration of the United States.

Several observations must be made on this communiqué:

The measures referred to in this note actually apply not to our liberated areas, but to various regions which have been freed from the enemy’s yoke, to wit: Serbia, Czechoslovakia, Jugoslavia and Poland, for whose supply an Inter-Allied committee has been set up at Paris.

The general decisions concerning this work of relief will be taken by the Governments of the Allies in accord. It is the carrying out of those decisions which is entrusted to the American Food Administration.

  1. Translation supplied by the editor.↩