462.00 R 296/2599: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Armour)
7. Your 9, January 8, Noon24 and 10, January 8, 4 p.m. The following communiqué was given to the press on December 24:
“Sir Esme Howard, the British Ambassador, called upon the Secretary of State this morning and informed him in the name of the six governments interested in the reparations problem that they wished to inquire whether the United States Government will agree to American experts taking part in the work of the proposed committee which is to deal with the final settlement of the problem, and whether, if so, the United States Government would be ready to propose the names of such American experts. The British Ambassador explained to the Secretary of State that if the United States Government agrees to this the experts proposed will be appointed jointly by the Reparations Commission and the German Government, but if the United States Government should prefer to leave the choice of American experts to the six powers the latter will then agree on the names of the experts to be invited. In that case the experts will also be appointed jointly by the Reparations Commission and the German Government.
“The Secretary of State this afternoon informed Sir Esme Howard, the British Ambassador, that if the six governments desire American experts to serve upon the Expert Committee the United States will have no objection.”
The British Ambassador was informed yesterday that this Government would not care to advise in any way as to the method of appointment of American members of the Experts Committee but that it would be perfectly satisfactory if the American members were appointed by the six Governments and equally satisfactory if they were appointed by the Reparation Commission and the German Government, these being the methods which the Ambassador had suggested. The Ambassador was likewise informed that the only thing the American Government desired was to have the Governments agree as to the method of appointment as we did not wish to be the cause of any misunderstanding.
Last paragraph your 10. Understanding correct.
- Not printed.↩