462.00 R 296/5½

Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation with the German Ambassador (Wiedfeldt), October 23, 1922

1. Army of Occupation. The Ambassador said that the report that the American troops were to be withdrawn from the Rhine caused a good deal of anxiety as their withdrawal would mean the substitution of French troops, and the presence of the American troops, although few in number, was of the greatest aid in maintaining a reasonable attitude.

The Secretary said that he could not make any definite commitment, but he did not think that the troops would be withdrawn for the present.22

2. The Ambassador said that he had an urgent request from his Government to ask an audience with the President to lay before him the question of the troops on the Rhine and also the economic condition in Germany and the necessity for immediate relief through a settlement of the Reparations question. The Ambassador recalled that at his last interview the Secretary had told him, in confidence, that he was deeply interested in this question and favored some action by which an impartial report of financial men of highest authority could be obtained and that the matter should be taken out of politics and settled on its merits. The Ambassador understood that the Secretary contemplated taking some action along that line and thought that he would begin by sounding out Germany.

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The Secretary said that the Ambassador was right in his recollection, so far as the general proposal of having a committee of business men with the acquiescence of the governments was concerned to endeavor to formulate a financial plan which would meet the situation. The Secretary said, however, that the Ambassador was mistaken in thinking that the Secretary intended to sound Germany first. The Secretary said he did not think that it would be necessary, as it would be more important to ascertain in an informal way at the outset whether the proposal would be favorably received by the French Government. The Secretary said he understood the exigency and was doing his best to see whether any practicable plan could be entered into, but he feared there was slight hope of success. The Ambassador said he had not communicated with his Government on the subject but asked if he were free to do so. The Secretary said he would prefer that there be no communication at this time because the publicity that might result would hinder rather than aid. The Secretary said he was not sanguine of being able to accomplish anything and if he could not accomplish something in the manner in which he had set about nothing whatever could be done. Publicity would simply give rise to all sorts of rumors which would serve no useful purpose. The Ambassador agreed to this.

The Secretary pointed out that nothing could be done without the voluntary action of the Powers entitled to reparations, and that if they were unwilling to consent to the suggestions that had been made nothing further could be done about them.

  1. For papers concerning the withdrawal of American troops, see pp. 211 ff.