862t.01/15: Telegram
The Ambassador in France ( Wallace ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:53 p.m.]
804. Mission. Your 575, March 22, 4 p.m. In concert with point embodied in my 777, March 21, 9 a.m.,21 decision taken at Ambassadors Conference on March 16th to refuse German request to send additional troops into Ruhr Basin, was held up by Derby.22 Consideration of the German request was resumed at meeting of March 20th (see my number 788 March 21 [22], 6 p.m.21) and as reported Derby stated that matter was one to be decided by the Governments and that he had communicated to Millerand the report from his Government, he refused them [then] and again at the meeting last night to be led into a discussion of the question, consequently the fact that the British Government supported the German request has not been stated at the Conference and is only known to me by virtue of the confidential information given me by Derby as reported in my 789 March 22, 7 p.m.21 It does not now appear that I shall have an opportunity to carry out the instructions contained in your telegram under reference before the Conference of Ambassadors.
On the other hand if the Department should deem it desirable could say to Millerand that you had been kept informed of the discussions which had taken place in the Conference of Ambassadors and that you felt that it would be an act of wisdom to permit the German Government to increase temporarily their forces in the neutral zone in order to restore order and that further occupation of German territory by the Allies having no bearing on the matter, should not be considered in this connection.