Truman Papers
No. 353
Memorandum by the Joint Civil
Affairs Committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
1
Relationship Between Reparations Commission and Control Council
discussion
1. The United States policy with respect to the relationship between the Reparations Commission and the Control Council has been set forth for Mr. Pauley’s guidance. His instructions2 contain the following provision:
“The occupation authorities should be responsible for the execution of the [reparations] plan within Germany. In the execution of the plan, the Control Council should have the authority to withhold from transfer as reparations specific items the removal of which in its judgment would reduce the available economic means below the minimum required to meet the other purposes of the occupation. After review by the Control Council and in the absence of agreement, [Page 509] the zone commander if he believes that any specific item should be retained within his zone may with the specific determination of his government that such item is essential for the purpose of the occupation withhold the removal of such item. The zone commander may, of course, withhold the removal of such items pending such determination.”
recommendation
2. In the interest of the efficient operation of the quadripartite military government, it is recommended that efforts be made to have the above-stated policy agreed to at the conference. Because the problem involves the inter-relationship of the Control Council and the Separations Commission, its solution must be found at a level above that of either one of the two organizations.
- This memorandum was forwarded to Leahy by the Secretary of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on June 26, together with other reports, under cover of a memorandum which stated explicitly: “These reports represent the views of the committees only and have not been approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.” Leahy subsequently passed it to Truman.↩
- Not printed as a whole.↩