Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General, Volume I

740.00119 EAC/10–744: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, October 7, 1944—8 p.m.
[Received 8:10 p.m.]

8485. Comea 108. I am glad to have Department’s 8047 (October 2, 11 p.m.).⁹⁰ When the question of censorship and public information control is raised in the EAC, I shall be able to comment informally on it in the spirit of the directives. However, lacking formal clearance, no written statement of United States policy on these subjects can be put before the Commission. In this, as in many other questions pending before the EAC, continued delay in clearing United States policy places the American viewpoint and American interests at a decided disadvantage.

I have noticed in EAC discussions that the Soviet delegate is well informed even in rather small details of the provisions which have been outlined in the 29 British draft directives on Germany which have been informally circulated. If we wish American policy to be similarly studied and given due weight by the other two Governments and, particularly, by the Soviet Government, it is necessary to circulate authoritative policy papers without further delay. Speed is imperative for mechanical reasons also. Each document when submitted has to be laboriously translated into Russian, then transmitted to Moscow for study and comment by the interested departments of the Soviet Government and returned to London for negotiation by the Soviet delegation in the EAC.

Our experience so far shows that although the Russians may be slow in presenting their own proposals, they meanwhile make a close study of United States and United Kingdom papers and their positions when presented are well thought out and well supported. When the Russians do formally introduce a paper into the EAC or state their conclusions, the policy presented has been completely cleared by their Government and can be considered authoritative. I have found in negotiating that advancing papers which have not had full clearance by our Government and on which, I am not, therefore, able to take a definite position simply confuses our relationship with the other two delegations, and particularly with the Russian delegation, and retards business rather than expediting it.

I feel it my duty to call your attention most urgently to the tremendous lag in clearing our documentation on Germany. Since the first meeting of the EAC in January nine months ago, I have received only five fully cleared policy papers relating to Germany. By Department’s instruction 3667 (January 28)⁹¹ I received WS–10a and WS–12.⁹² By Department’s instruction 3735 (February 12) I received a draft instrument of surrender and a commentary thereon. By Department’s instruction 3784 (February 26) I received the United States paper on control machinery (WS–15c),⁹³ By Department’s instruction 4347 (July 25)⁹¹ I received the Working Security Committee’s comments on the British directive on control of German inland transport. Since March 1 I have received only one United States policy paper with authoritative clearances.

From time to time in answer to my specific requests, I have received telegraphic comments on urgent matters under immediate negotiation. I have also received a substantial number of memoranda prepared in the Department. These latter studies are helpful to the United States delegation but lacking clearance by the Working Security Committee, they cannot be used effectively in discussions of the EAC. Despite the promises contained in Eacom 29 (Department’s 6315, August 10) I have not received any fully cleared materials of the type urgently requested in Comea 68 (my 5412, July 8, 8 p.m.) and Comea 82, (my 7433, September 10, 3 p.m.).

I request first priority consideration and clearance for the following documents: (1) Proclamations and general orders transmitted by my despatch 17222 [17220] (August 1);⁹¹ (2) United States directives prepared by Army Planning Committee and reviewed by my advisers of which 21 have been transmitted to date.⁹⁶

Except for one or two minor details which have been fully reported in my despatches, the proclamations, general orders and draft directives have been approved unanimously by my EAC delegation which includes representatives of State, Army, Navy and Air Force. In organizing the United States delegation on the EAC, it was understood that the Departments and the services concerned would coordinate policy in joint recommendations and I have done my utmost to see that all their points of view are fully taken into account in preparing the directives which I have forwarded to the Department. Since the establishment of the United States Group Control Council (Germany)⁹⁷ under General Wickersham, its sections and representatives have also participated actively in drafting and approving these directives.

Comments on British directives of which 29 have been transmitted to date should also be helpful; so far I have received Working Security comments on only one of the United Kingdom draft directives.⁹⁸

If, as mentioned in Department’s 8047 (October 2, 11 p.m.) certain general decisions are still pending, this factor should not delay consideration and clearance of our draft directives which it will be noted do not prejudge such long range problems as for example, partition and de-industrialization but deal with practical questions requiring immediate tripartite handling after Germany’s collapse or surrender.

If, on the other hand, these delays have occurred because of the present cumbersome machinery for inter-departmental clearance in Washington, I must urge that the Department examine most seriously means for expediting the consideration of these questions and for providing me with the materials which I have been promised for several months if negotiations are to be carried on successfully in the EAC. The responsibility for these delays should be ascertained, but what is even more important, the present arrangements including the procedures of the Working Security Committee as set forth in Department’s instruction 3667, (January 28)⁹⁹ should be reviewed and revised.

In recent years I have tried to study the negotiations which have shaped the relationships among the great powers. I would like to say that I do not think that any conference or commission created by governments for a serious purpose has had less support from the governments creating it than the European Advisory Commission. At least I do not know of any like example in recorded history.

Please show this telegram to the President, to the Secretary of State, and to the Secretary of War.

Winant

90. Not printed; it authorized Ambassador Winant to begin negotiations in the European Advisory Commission at once on the question of control of public information and censorship in occupied Germany (740.00119 EAC/9–3044).
91. Not printed.
92. Ante, pp. 104 and 100, respectively.
93. Ante, p. 185.
91. Not printed.
91. Not printed.

96. The subjects of these draft directives and the dates of their transmittal to Washington are as follows: General Directive for Germany (July 11); “United Nations Prisoners of War (July 11); Censorship of Civilian Communications (July 19); Disposal of German Armed Forces Subsequent to Surrender (July 20); Primary Disarmament of the German Armed Forces Subsequent to Surrender (July 27); Disposition of German Officials and Civilians in Occupied Territory (August 2); Control of Merchant Shipping Subsequent to Surrender (August 10); Control of Post, Telegraph and Telephone Services in Germany (August 17); Control of Inland Transport (August 16); Control and Disposal of Nationals, Armed Forces and Property of Enemy Countries Other than Germany (August 24); Securing and Examining Information and Archives (August 25); Disposition and Control of the German Police (September 5); Disposition of German or German Controlled Aircraft, Aeronautical Equipment and Facilities (September 6); Control of Public Information in Germany (September 6); Control of Educational Institutions in Germany (September 14); Control of Works of Art and Monuments (September 14); Administration of Justice (September 22); Disposition of German and German-Controlled Naval Craft, Equipment and Facilities (September 22); Elimination and Prohibition of Military Training in Germany (September 28); Property Control (October 7); Religious Affairs (October 6).

    Of these draft directives, only the draft General Directive for Germany and a revised version of the draft directive for Control of Works of Art and Monuments have been printed (ante, p. 244 and vol. ii, p. 1060.) The remaining documents are in the Department of State’s European Advisory Commission files (740.00119 EAC).

97. Established in August 1944 to provide and train cadres for post-hostilities work in occupied Germany and act in liaison with similar British and Soviet groups.
98. Regarding British draft directives for Germany, see footnote 21, p. 361.
99. Not printed; for substance of the arrangements and procedures set forth in this instruction, see Department’s telegram 392, January 15, to London, p. 111.