862.85/1154: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Wallace) to the Secretary of State

1161. B–87 for Davis.

1st.
Your 919, Treasury B–31. Recognize difficulty pointed out by you between paragraphs 3 and 4 Wilson–Lloyd George Agreement, therefore think you are right in believing ships can be allocated under paragraph 3 without waiting for our ratification of agreement which removes most important difficulty I had in mind in my B–73.39 Some less concrete difficulties remain like one you suggest first sentence [Page 534] your paragraph one but provided other powers willing proceed themselves on lines Wilson–Lloyd George Agreement without knowing our position our delay not [an] obstruction and therefore not so embarrassing as I feared.
2d.
Ratification Wilson–Lloyd George Agreement without ratification of treaty involved in my mind agreement on the part of Germany which I assumed Reparation Commission could easily obtain.
3d.
In view of foregoing withdraw my insistence on immediate act of Congress provided you send prompt and favorable answer my tanker cables.38 Boyden.
Wallace
  1. Ante, p. 532.
  2. For correspondence concerning German tankers, See pp. 542 ff.