863.51 Relief Credits/76
The Minister in Austria (Washburn) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Castle)
[Received March 20.]
Dear Castle: Before the courier goes today I snatch a moment to say that perhaps you can find time, if the necessity exists, again to glance at my telegram No. 12 of even date, 3 p.m., relating to the Austrian loan. It would be a pity to make a cat’s-paw of us and very possibly there is no desire to do so, but I think the Austrian Government is right in its contention that the other relief credit states cannot now in good faith, in view of their commitments, make a prior relief credit settlement a condition precedent to lien subordination. None of them would openly attempt to do so.
I think you will agree with me that the passage of a resolution similar to the one enacted in 1922 will meet the situation. We will be amply protected and the Secretary of the Treasury could delay the exercise of his discretion until fully satisfied everything was in order. I hope too that the resolution will not be permitted [Page 887] to die in committee or on the calendar, since, as the Department has made plain, we can have no reason to do other than the other interested powers are doing.
Sincerely yours,