863.51 M 82/4: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Austria (Washburn)
5. Referring to your 4, January 19, 1 p.m. The Austrian proposal is being carefully considered by the United States Government, and everything possible to expedite a decision will be done by the Department. However, it will be appreciated that the Executive is in no position—particularly if, as the Austrian Government wishes, the deferment of lien is to be considered independently of the funding of relief credits—to make Congress a recommendation which is based only upon such ex parte data as submitted by the Austrian Government to the Reparation Commission. A necessary prerequisite to a decision on the Austrian request to approach Congress would be an independent examination by this Government of the proposed loan’s bearing upon Austria’s economic and financial status.
This has been informally stated to the Austrian Minister, who has been told that, if his Government wishes to supply any data in addition to that already furnished, the United States Government would welcome such.