740.0011 Moscow/54: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received October 25—10:07 a.m.]
1715. For the President and the Acting Secretary from the Secretary. Referring further to the 7–point proposal of Mr. Molotov in regard to political policies in Italy,66 I am wondering whether you want us to consider prefacing our reply to Mr. Molotov by saying that military considerations must be considered uppermost when enemy territory is occupied, until the need for military occupation ceases and the area is ready to be turned over to a Civil Commission or other agency of Government. In the second place, the attitude of the United Nations with respect to the political policies that should be applied to Italy is that the utter destruction of Fascism and all traces of it is the supreme political consideration and that any list of proposals undertaken to embody this broad supreme political objective such as Mr. Molotov sets forth in his seven points are in complete harmony with the objective of destroying Fascism and substituting the best obtainable or available elements and agencies calculated to maintain law and order and improve benefits of Government. In some enemy areas the fact is recognized that on account of differing conditions the foregoing transition steps may require more or less time as the circumstances may make necessary.
The foregoing might be made a preface to Mr. Molotov’s 7–point proposal so as to give a broader setting to the entire set of problems involved. [Hull.]