862t.01/205: Telegram
The Commissioner at Berlin (Dresel) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 6—3:45 a.m.]
1381. At the request of French Ambassador, I attended a conference at French Embassy at which he, the British Ambassador, and the Belgian Minister were present, on the subject of the notes they have all been instructed to present in order to protest against speeches of members of the Cabinet in the occupied districts. I [Page 337] stated that as I had received no instructions, I should like it best not to participate in the discussion.
The following draft, which was agreed upon after several modifications in the direction of moderation suggested by Lord D’Abernon46 will be presented as separate but identical notes on Monday47 by the three representatives named:
“The Interallied High Commission of the Rhine Province has advised the Governments that it represents, of the emotion raised in the population of this region by the speeches which the commonwealth ministers have recently delivered there.
The Belgian, British, and French Governments consider it highly regrettable that members of the German Government felt that they should occupy themselves in occupied territory with public declarations of a nature to create trouble there and to bring up discussion in regard to the execution of the Versailles treaty. They protest especially against the words which have contested decisions which have been taken in virtue of the treaty by the Council of the League of Nations on the subject of Eupen and Malmedy.
The Belgian, British, and French Governments have advised their representatives at Berlin to invite the most serious attention of the German Government to the grave consequences which such declarations can have for the maintenance of public order, for which the Allied authorities in occupied territory have responsibility. The Governments have charged them to state that movements of ministers of the commonwealth or of the states into occupied territory can only be authorized in the future when these high officials abstain from all attack against the Governments or authorities of the Allies and against the peace treaty.”