Office of the Historian

Paris Peace Conf. 871.51/3a: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Bliss)

Washington , January 7, 1919—3 p.m.
[Received January 8.]

6879. The following telegram is from Rathbone for Davis. Treasury No. 688. In reference to Mission’s telegram No. 132, January 3d [2d], 4 p.m., your unnumbered. The Treasury is ready to advance $5,000,000 against Roumanian obligations to pay for food-stuffs bought here, whenever;

(1)
We are advised by Department of State that Roumania is at war with the enemies of this country. The State Department apparently is not ready to give this advice.
(2)
Treasury is advised by State Department that resultant from investigations made, it can designate some certain person in the Treasury with the authorization to sign obligations in the name and on behalf of the Government of Roumania, which obligations, in the view of the State Department, would be valid and binding internationally and have its sanction to complete our records. The Treasury also should be advised by yourself or Hoover clearly pointing out Roumania’s need for the character of the specified food-stuffs and the amount designated for use within her territories. Also please obtain President’s consent for use of credits in favour of Roumania which was heretofore approved by him for meeting food requirements in Roumania. When you receive such approval, please [Page 709] cable us the text of it, and send the letter to the Treasury. It is by far preferable that Roumania’s obligations be executed here. State Department has been requested to inform us whether or not the representatives of the Roumanian Government here have been given the proper authority. Unless it has already been done, it must not be delayed any longer. The Secretary of the Treasury presented to Congress President Wilson’s message regarding the $100,000,000 fund.67

Polk
  1. House Document No. 1640, 65th Cong., 3d sess.↩