800.51 W 89France/137: Telegram
The Ambassador in France ( Herrick ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:05 p.m.]
362. Your telegram No. 235, June 23, 6 p.m. At luncheon given today at Foreign Office to American delegation to Exposition of Decorative Arts, Briand said in speech that propaganda carried on in the United States to show that France was imperialistic had been silenced by attitude of French Government, that new propaganda that France was trying to avoid paying her debts would be silenced in same way, and that the French Government had decided “to send in the very near future a commission to the United States to settle the debt, naturally, in such a manner as the state of the French finances permits”.40
I feel that in view of present conditions here this statement was as categorical announcement as could well be expected; hope it is satisfactory to you.
- Quoted passage not paraphrased.↩