Office of the Historian

462.11L5232/585: Telegram

The Chargé in Germany (Mayer) to the Secretary of State

Berlin, May 28, 1936—8 p.m.
[Received May 28—4:45 p.m.]

162. My 157, May 25, 1 p.m.81 Von Pfeffer has just called and left with me the following statement:

  • “1. The German Government understands with satisfaction from the previous discussions in which Minister President Goering took the initiative that both Governments agree in the desire to bring their relations to a greater clarification. The German Government believes that the attempt should now begin to translate these desires into fact.
  • 2. The German Government is agreeable that first of all the attempt will be made amicably to dispose of the old sabotage claims and that this attempt is not dependent upon any conditions.
  • 3. The German Government assumes that at an early date also the broader problems will be taken up.
  • 4. The German Government expresses thanks for the proposal to send an appropriate representative and asks the undertaking of this mission in the mutually discussed sense and Minister President Goering would be glad to receive the representative in the course of June in Germany.
  • 5. The appropriate German offices have been instructed to undertake the necessary process measures with the consent of the process representatives of the American Government for the purpose of immediate postponement of the pending process discussions before the Mixed Claims Commission.”

Von Pfeffer assured me in conversation that the German Government is thoroughly conscious that we cannot condition settlement of the sabotage cases on the solution of the larger problems and that therefore there is no question of any conditioning the one upon the other. He said that the first paragraph of the statement was intended to reproduce our expressions to him (see first sentence Department’s telegram No. 59, May 22).

In response to careful and repeated inquiry on my part concerning the last paragraph of the statement Pfeffer said that Goering had already asked the Foreign Office to give the necessary instructions to the German Agent in Washington to seek a postponement of the hearing. Pfeffer gave me to understand unofficially that while Goering wished this to be done and had as reported above so communicated to the Foreign Office it was possible that certain difficulties might arise (presumably through the Foreign Office) and that Goering hoped the Department would cooperate to the end that the American Agent would make it as easy as possible for the German Agent with regard to postponement. I said that I would communicate this to the Department on the clear understanding as Pfeffer agreed again that the initiative with regard to adjournment should be taken by the German Agent.

Mayer
  1. Not printed.↩