462.00 R 296/406: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State
333. L–189, from Logan.
(1) Your L–96, July 5, 2 p.m. Regardful of delicate situation existing at present between France and Great Britain, I feel that the Department should proceed in the most guarded and moderate manner, lest the note verbale proposed be regarded as another bombshell, especially by French who are already in a sensitive mood and who may feel that the additional charges upon the fund receivable from Germany tends even further to make advantages of experts’ plan illusory from purely French point of view.
(2) In my opinion any announcement that may be made should be brief, and for that reason I feel that our own note is too legalistic and detailed, and that it might with advantage be shortened.
In regard to your third paragraph, I venture a suggestion which may form a basis for a draft; in particular I would not ask at present “when and how it is proposed to consider apportionment.”
(3) At this juncture I believe that if the Department thought an immediate note verbale imperative, the following text would serve best to accomplish our purpose; let excellent argumentation of proposed [Page 44] draft in your L–96 be reserved for conference which considers apportionment:35
“The Government of the United States understands that the forthcoming London Conference is to deal with the measures necessary to put the experts’ plan into effect as speedily as possible and that it is not proposed to examine questions concerning the apportionment of the all-inclusive payments to be made by Germany as contemplated by the experts’ plan in satisfaction of the war claims of the Allied and Associated Powers.
The United States therefore does not desire at this time to raise the question of its equitable right, as a power associated in the Great War, to share, as contemplated by the experts’ plan, in an appropriate apportionment of the all-inclusive payments for the purpose of meeting its claims for Army costs and for damage[s to] person[s] and property.
The United States wishes to declare however that in seeking payment of its just claims from Germany it is willing to cooperate in the rehabilitation of Europe by acting through the machinery of the experts’ plan rather than to disturb the machinery by seeking payment outside the plan. It desires therefore to discuss the subject when the matter of apportionment hereafter arises for consideration.”
(4) I am consulting Ambassadors Herrick and Kellogg, and I urgently recommend that in the meantime action on Department’s draft note verbale as well as my alternative draft above be suspended. I am hopeful that the somewhat disquieting situation created when the terms of the British invitation to the Allied Governments to the London Conference were revealed in the French press will be adjusted satisfactorily by the MacDonald-Herriot conversations in Paris.36 The situation created by the British note will, however, be reflected in the London Conference, and it is my firm opinion that any note we should send at this time ought to receive most thoughtful consideration, for in event of any serious Anglo-French divergence of views which might arise at conference our note will undoubtedly come into prominence, and responsibility for any resulting failure of the conference might improperly be laid at our door.
I understand through Ambassador Kellogg and from other sources that tacit agreement already exists not to consider questions of distribution during conference, and our position, therefore, appears secure. If Mr. Kellogg can confirm this agreement, I believe our best ends will be served by reserving all formal communications from our Government to the Allies on subject of our claims until after London Conference, the precaution being taken, however, of instructing Mr. Kellogg on attitude to be taken if through any [Page 45] possible breaking down of the agreement the questions were to come before the conference. I am confident this latter procedure is more businesslike and safer from whatever angle matter may be viewed.
Repeated to Embassy in London. Logan.