A similar communication is being addressed to the Soviet Government, but is
not, for the present, being made to other Allied Governments.
We should be grateful for an early indication of the views of the United
States Government upon the proposal contained in the attached
memorandum.
[Enclosure]
Memorandum
In connection with the proposal to form a European Economic Committee,
the suggestion has been made that the Committee should be set up to deal
with urgent problems, such as coal. His Majesty’s Government are
strongly of the opinion that some single European authority in respect
of coal and programmed mining machinery is essential for the reasons
given below.
[Page 632]
The need for the coordination of coal supplies to
Europe.
The recent acceleration in the progress of the European war has
underlined the urgency of the problem of coordinating coal supplies for
Europe in the period immediately preceding and following the end of the
German war. It is already clear that, owing to manpower and transport
difficulties, supplies for this purpose from German sources will at
first fall far short of requirements even if enemy resistence were to be
overcome without extensive damage to Allied and enemy coal fields; and
that early in this transitional period, Europe will have to depend to an
appreciable extent on German coal. Later when and if export of surpluses
becomes available in Allied coal producing countries, it is considered
that, so long as the total requirements in Europe exceed total supplies,
the only means of ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of total
exportable supplies would be to coordinate allocation of such supplies,
together with Germany’s surplus, according to the needs of importing
countries. This principle of co operation has already been accepted by
the United Nations—for example in respect of supplies in general for
relief and rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation of mines.
Supplies of mining machinery and equipment will be required for mines to
reach their maximum production. In the first instance, the provision for
“first aid” rehabilitation to coal mines within the Anglo-American
theatres of operations is the responsibility of the Supreme Allied
Commander; but it is contemplated that in the case of liberated Allied
territories, the appropriate National Civil Authorities will assume
almost at once the responsibility for production in coal fields and that
a thorough survey of mines by Allied Civil engineers, no doubt in
collaboration with United Kingdom and United States engineers and as
necessary with SHAEF, will need to be undertaken as early as possible.
This survey, and the preliminary survey which is now in progress, will
give rise to requirements of mining machinery and equipment which will
need expert coordination so as to ensure an equitable and efficient
distribution both of indigenous and non-indigenous supplies. It may well
be, for instance, that the German mines should not have first choice of
machinery and equipment produced by German industry. As an important
factor in this distribution would be the extent to which output of coal
could be increased by provision of mining machinery and equipment made
available for allocation on lines proposed in the preceding
paragraph.
Transport.
As the possibility of moving supplies both by land and sea will be
entirely dependent upon the availability of transport, it will be
necessary to coordinate demands for transport of coal from one European
[Page 633] country to another so that
these demands can be effectively presented to the authorities
responsible for coordinating transport to meet the requirements, i.e.
the United Maritime Authority and European Inland Transport
Organization.
Handling of German coal.
The allocation of German coal outside of Germany will need careful and
expert handling if a truly equitable distribution if [is] to be ensured and if legitimate trading interests of the
Allies are to be adequately safeguarded.
His Majesty’s Government therefore suggest that there should be set up a
European Coal Organization (E.C.O.) which would generally supervise
Continental programmes of coal and planned items of mining machinery and
ensure a fair and equitable allocation of available supplies. It would
be composed in the first instance of members of the United Kingdom, the
United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and
European Allies. There would, of course be provision for a link-up with
Allied Control Commissions, the Combined Boards, the United Nations
Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, the European Inland Transport
Organization, the United Maritime Authority, with representatives of
employers and employees in industry, and with consuming interests
including the interests of neutrals.
Interim period.
Pending the constitution of the European Coal Organization as a fully
effective body, it is proposed that some form of interim European Coal
Organization be set up as soon as possible on the lines of the Interim
Commission on European Inland Transport. So long as operational
conditions continue, the Interim European Coal Organization would, of
course, be subject to military necessities as determined by the Allied
Commanders-in-Chief.
Washington, 2 December,
1944.
