462.00R296/2780: Telegram

The Chargé in France (Armour) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

147. From Kellogg.

See my telegram (Embassy’s No. 141, April 11), part numbered (3), and Wilson’s telegram Reparation No. 206 of today’s date.

This morning I personally and separately saw Young and Lamont again, and explained fully to them that the 2¼ percent to be paid the United States applied to the Dawes annuities and did not apply to some other annuities agreed between the Allied Governments and Germany; that these Dawes annuities were pledged under an act of Congress for payment of American claims and repayment to German property owners for that part of their property kept and paid to American claimants; and that this could not be changed without another act of [Page 1049] Congress by which very unfavorable sentiment in the United States would be created. I told Young and Lamont that this would be wholly unacceptable to the United States and that, moreover, the Allies had received fully 90 percent of their Army costs and that of ours only a very small percentage had been received. I said to them that for this agreement to be made and put up to the United States to accept or reject would be very embarrassing. I said everything I could for your position.

Young insisted that when he talked with me night before last, that he was not then aware of the details of the Allied proposals, and that anyway this was all subject to change. I endorse fully what Wilson says in his telegram.

I leave for London tomorrow morning to stay for about two weeks and then sail for home on April 27. I can do nothing more here. Both Armour and Wilson are fully informed of developments. Kellogg.

Armour