840.00/3–645

The Secretary of State to the President 1

secret

Memorandum for the President

Establishment of an Emergency High Commission for Liberated Europe

I recommend that at your meeting with Marshal Stalin and Prime Minister Churchill you propose the immediate establishment of an Emergency High Commission for Liberated Europe, the initial membership to consist of the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, and the Provisional Government of France. A proposed draft declaration and protocol are attached for your consideration.

The proposed Emergency High Commission would be set up as a joint, temporary agency of the four governments through which they would act together to assist in establishing popular governments and in facilitating the solution of emergency economic problems in the former occupied and satellite states of Europe. It would not have responsibilities in regard to the conduct of the war, or the post-war control of Germany. Questions regarding Germany would remain solely in the province of the European Advisory Commission,2 and of such agencies as may be established for control of Germany.

Announcement from your meeting of agreement on the establishment of such a commission would reassure public opinion in the United [Page 98] States and elsewhere that these four nations will work together in the solution of pressing problems while further steps are being taken toward the establishment of the General International Organization.

There is urgent need for these four nations to achieve unity of policy, and joint action, with respect to:

1.
Political problems emerging in the former occupied and satellite states of Europe, such as the return of certain exiled governments, the setting up of provisional regimes, the maintenance of order within countries, and the arranging of early elections where necessary to establish popular and stable governments;
2.
Immediate economic problems such as the care for destitute populations and the restoration of functioning economic life of particular countries.

The proposed Emergency High Commission would constitute the agency for providing for the necessary regular consultation and cooperative action in these matters. Also it would greatly help to remove the difficulties being encountered by United Nations’ agencies in related fields.

E. R. Stettinius, Jr.
[Attachment 1]

Declaration on Liberated Europe

The President of the United States of America, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Premier of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the President of the Provisional Government of the French Republic, having consulted with each other in the common interests of the peoples of their countries and those of liberated Europe, jointly declare their mutual agreement to concert the action of their four governments in assisting the peoples liberated from the domination of Nazi Germany and its satellites to solve by democratic means their pressing political and economic problems.

The retreat of the Nazi war machine and the collapse of its puppet regimes, under the relentless blows of the victorious armies and resistance forces of the United Nations, are leaving behind confusion and disorder, and incalculable distress and suffering. The agony of the liberated peoples must be relieved. Swift steps must be taken to help them in the orderly reconstruction of their daily living.

The establishment of order in Europe and the rebuilding of national economic life must be achieved by processes which will enable the liberated peoples to destroy the last vestiges of Nazism and Fascism and to create democratic institutions of their own choice. This is a promise of the Atlantic Charter3—the right of all peoples to choose [Page 99] the form of government under which they will live—the restoration of sovereign rights and self-government to those peoples who have been forcibly deprived of them.

To foster the conditions in which the liberated peoples may exercise these rights, the Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the Provisional Government of the French Republic have agreed to establish, for such joint action as may be necessary, an Emergency High Commission for Liberated Europe, as set forth by the protocol of this date.

By this declaration we reaffirm our faith in the principles of the Atlantic Charter, our pledge in the Declaration by United Nations, and our determination to build in cooperation with other peace-loving nations a world order under law, dedicated to the peace and security and the general well-being of all mankind.

[Attachment 2]

Emergency High Commission for Liberated Europe

Pursuant to the Declaration on Liberated Europe, and with a view to concerting their policies with respect to the objectives set forth therein, the Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, and the Provisional Government of the French Republic hereby establish an Emergency High Commission for Liberated Europe.

A. Functions and Scope

1. The Emergency High Commission for Liberated Europe shall have responsibility in such former occupied states of Europe and in such former enemy states as in the judgment of the four governments conditions may make necessary:

a.
To assist where circumstances require in the maintenance of internal order;
b.
To assist as may be required in the taking of emergency measures for care of the population and for solution of pressing economic problems;
c.
To assist where circumstances require in setting up governmental authorities broadly representative of all democratic elements in the population and pledged to the earliest possible establishment through free elections of governments responsive to the will of the people;
d.
To assist as may be appropriate in making arrangements for, and in conducting free elections to determine the type and composition of governments;
e.
To perform such other duties as may be assigned to it by agreement of the governments represented on the Emergency High Commission.

[Page 100]

2. The Emergency High Commission shall have no authority, functions, or responsibilities with regard to the conduct of military operations in the prosecution of the present war against Germany, or the occupation and control of Germany.

3. The Emergency High Commission shall consult with other international agencies as necessary on problems which are of mutual concern.

B. Membership

1. The membership of the Emergency High Commission shall consist of the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, and the Provisional Government of the French Republic, each of which shall appoint one representative. As may be necessary the Emergency High Commission may enlarge its membership.

2. Representatives of other United Nations and of provisional authorities or of governments in Europe shall be invited by the Emergency High Commission to sit with it when matters of direct interest to them are under consideration.

C. Location and Organization

1. The headquarters of the Emergency High Commission shall be in [Paris].4 It may meet in other places as occasion requires.

2. It may designate officials of member governments to represent it in individual countries or areas.

3. The Governments which are members of the Emergency High Commission shall provide such military or other special advisers as may be required to assist it in performing its functions.

4. It shall organize its technical staff and otherwise establish and perfect its organization and procedure. Its chairmanship shall be held successively by representatives of the member governments.

D. Termination

The Emergency High Commission for Liberated Europe shall terminate when the functioning of popular and stable governments and the operations of appropriate organs or agencies of the general international organization shall have removed the need for its activities.5

  1. This document with its attachments is printed in Postwar Foreign Policy Preparation, pp. 655–657, under the assumed date of January 16. The text here printed is from the signed original, which bears a penciled endorsement, “Show [Shown?] to President at Sea W[illiam] D L[eahy]”.
  2. See post, p. 110, footnote 1.
  3. For the text, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 236, or 55 Stat. 1603.
  4. The brackets appear in the source text and were apparently intended to indicate the tentative nature of this suggestion.
  5. A penciled notation below this paragraph, apparently in Leahy’s handwriting, reads: “Who makes this decision[?]”