767.68119/211: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Special Mission at Lausanne
18. Your telegram of November 27, 6 p.m. Your proposed statement is not approved by the Department as it seems possible to give it the following construction:
- 1.
- That representation of Austria and Germany on debt council is contemplated by the United States in spite of provisions to the contrary in Versailles and St. Germain treaties.
- 2.
- That our Government is unduly eager for indemnities and is advocating this assimilation with the problem of the debt as an additional guarantee of our possible claim and as a method whereby American representation on the council may be obtained.
- 3.
- That the membership of the council could vary from time to time as debt holdings were transferred from nationals of one nation to nationals of another.
Any widening of the functions of the debt commission which might lead certain powers to make an effort to have the commission assume prerogatives assigned to the financial control commission by the Treaty of Sevres would not serve our interests.
It might be said that so far as the proposed statement relates to a new loan in which American citizens might share, participation of a proper kind might be suitably arranged in the administration relating to it. If such a loan were for consolidation or refunding the entire indebtedness would be covered by this.
The attitude of the Department will remain as set forth in our telegram of November 24, 6 p.m., in the absence of further information with respect to the intention of the other powers.