863.51 Relief Credits/63: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State
[Paraphrase]
Paris, March 14,
1928—11 a.m.
[Received 11:40 a.m.]
[Received 11:40 a.m.]
65. Reparation 82.
- (1)
- Reference the final sentence of paragraph (2) (a), my telegram No. 64, Reparation No. 81, dated March 13, regarding statement by member of the Italian delegation as to Italian position concerning payment of army costs in priority to relief bonds. I desire to add, in order to avoid any possible misapprehension on the part of the Department, that in my opinion the statement referred to was made presumably in contemplation of the situation which has existed up to the present as regards payment of the relief bonds, that is, that such payment has been postponed until 1943. If, however, Austria [Page 894] should in fact begin payment on that account in 1929 in accordance with the proposal for funding the relief debt, I should feel also that it would be quite possible that Italy, and France perhaps, would seek to raise the question of obtaining some payment in respect of army costs in view of the priority of army costs over the relief bonds.
- (2)
- The last sentence of paragraph (2) (f), of my telegram referred to above, should be read in the light of the foregoing comment.
London and Vienna sent ciphers.
Herrick