462.00 R 296/2420: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Armour) to the Secretary of State
[Paraphrase]
Paris, October 16,
1928—1 p.m.
[Received 4:50 p.m.]
[Received 4:50 p.m.]
323. Reparation 117. 1. With reference to Department’s telegram Reparation 63.38 On October 5 in my letter enclosing the Reparation [Page 892] Commission’s communication dated October 339 which formally advised regarding said Commission’s decision on the request from Greece, I expressed the opinion that the United States Government was not interested in this question unless an arrangement should be reached operating to reduce the American share in the reparation annuities.
2. My reasons for this view are in brief as follows:
- (a)
- The United States has waived various categories of claims and accepted a reduced participation in reparations;
- (b)
- Said reduced participation has been further limited in the sum which the United States can annually receive; that is, the United States receives only 45,000,000 marks per annum, even though the American 2¼% share should bring a higher amount, as is this year’s case;
- (c)
- While the United States is returning German property and being satisfied with its small share of 2¼% both for its reparation claims and also for others coming under part 10 of the Treaty of Versailles, the other powers, on the contrary, either have liquidated German property and used such proceeds to cover their claims under the treaty’s economic clauses or else have been substantially paid by Germany in respect of these claims;
- (d)
- The question as to precedent in this case may be compared to those involving still unsettled cases of social insurance and pensions, civil and military, in Alsace-Lorraine;
- (e)
- Generally speaking, my feeling is that the United States is not concerned with the execution of any provisions in the agreement of January 14, 1925, which have no specific reference to us and that the United States Government in this regard should assume no commitments. This would apply, among others, to provisions in that agreement such as articles 8, 10, and 23.
Armour