740.00119 EAC/19: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
7963. Personal for the Ambassador. Thank you for your telegram no. 8731, December 15, 11 p.m. with regard to plans for the European Advisory Commission and your first informal preliminary meeting. Your arrangements regarding rotation of the Chairmanship of the Commission seem quite satisfactory as well as the proposal to have a British official head the Secretariat.
The terms of reference for the Commission and the subject matter so far assigned to it for consideration are contained in the secret protocol of the Moscow Conference,30 a copy of which was left with you personally by Mr. Cannon.31 If it was decided at Teheran to refer additional questions to the Commission for study at this time you will be promptly informed. Kennan is here now and will leave for London shortly after Christmas. We plan to have him take with him full documentation supplemented by oral discussions as to our views. We have also set up a working committee in the Department with representatives of the War and Navy Departments so that there will be no delay at this end in considering the Commission’s work.
I do not understand your suggestion that a qualified adviser on European transport questions is needed from the outset since under the terms of reference of the Commission there is no provision that this problem shall fall within the Commission’s purview.
As to personnel, we have picked a staff which we consider qualified in every way. Loy Henderson is not available but Kennan, with the President’s approval, has been selected in his place. In addition to Thayer, John Stone, who, as you know, has been working in my office, has been assigned to the secretariat. It is contemplated that Lightner will work directly with you and Kennan on the delegation. The War and Navy Departments are giving careful consideration to the selection of their representatives to assist you. I shall see that you are fully posted with regard to our policies as the work of the Commission proceeds.