760c.60f/57: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France ( Wallace )
1493. Your telegrams no. 1653, September 4, and no. 1666, September 7. The Department is astonished to learn that you have not been advised that the Commission constituted under the Teschen agreement of July 28 has already begun its labors. This Government intends to be represented on the Commission and is instructing Dresel that Foster should report in Paris immediately that he may proceed to join the other members of this Commission at the very earliest date possible.52 You should advise him fully of the attitude that this Government has taken in the matter, emphasizing this Government’s desire that the line which was accepted tentatively at Spa should be subject to modification by a Delimitation Commission.
Your signature to the Teschen agreement is not essential at this time, for the Department feels that this decision goes no further than to embody the conclusions of the Conference of Ambassadors in which you have taken part, and in which you may now state that you concur with the understanding that the recommendations made by the Commission of Delimitation will be accepted by the Conference of Ambassadors.
Ascertain if you can and then report the date on which the Commission of Delimitation is going to commence its work in the Teschen district, as well as the approximate time that will be required to complete its task.
[Page 70]Give Foster all possible assistance in securing the personnel necessary to his mission.
The Department feels that there has not been a willingness on the part of the Allies to consider this Government’s impartial and disinterested opinion of this question and that there has been a persistent tendency to try to carry through a settlement of it without due regard for this Government’s views. The Department is not disposed to be oblivious to this attitude, and desires through its representative on the Commission to have a voice before the final settlement of the Teschen question takes place.
- Reginald C. Foster, of the American Commission at Berlin; the Department withdrew the assignment after a protest from the Commissioner at Berlin that it would seriously deplete his staff.↩