462.00 R 296/370: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Kellogg)
174. Your 220, June 18, 4 p.m. Department deems it inadvisable for this Government to be represented at Prime Ministers’ meeting. This meeting seems to be appropriate for representatives of those Governments whose action is necessary to put Dawes Plan into effect. While the Government of the United States is most desirous that Dawes Plan should be promptly put into execution, and sympathizes with efforts to that end, its action is not required to make plan effective, assuming that its just interests would not be jeoparded. That is to say, our claims against Germany should be protected properly when it comes to questions of distribution, but this point is separate from necessary arrangements to put plan into operation.
In view of Mr. Logan’s intimate knowledge of Dawes Plan and of this Government’s views respecting settlement of questions of its claims against Germany, the Department has instructed him to be prepared to go to London about July 16, and informally to keep in touch with conference for purposes of information and to furnish a medium for any advisable communications with Department. Not desired that Mr. Logan should attend the meetings. An invitation has not yet been received and the Department would prefer that one should not be formally extended.
You may inform the Prime Minister that while his suggestion is appreciated, the Government of the United States does not see its way clear to be represented at the meeting, but that this Government will take pleasure in instructing Mr. Logan to be present in London at the time of the meeting for purposes of information.
Should it appear that matter of distribution is to be taken up, or that American claims might be involved, we shall wish Mr. Logan to be heard in any appropriate way. At present this is not to be mentioned. For the present, Department assumes that only steps to put plan into operation are being thought of.