Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1945, General: Political and Economic Matters, Volume II

Council of Foreign Ministers Files: Lot M–88: CFM London Documents

Memorandum by the United Kingdom Delegation to the Council of Foreign Ministers

C.F.M.(45) 55

London, 26 September, 1945.

Austrian Food Supplies

The following four drafts have been prepared by the United Kingdom Delegation for the consideration of the Deputies.

[Annex 1]

Draft Directive From British, United States and Soviet Governments to Their Representatives on the Allied Control Commissions in Hungary, Roumania and Bulgaria

The Council of Foreign Ministers have noted with considerable disquiet the serious deficiencies in food supplies in Austria on which reports have been made to them by the Allied Council in Vienna.⁵² It has been represented to the Council of Foreign Ministers on the one hand that supplies for Austria should be largely drawn from the Danubian area, some of which has been in the past a source of supply for meeting a large part of Austria’s needs. The Foreign Ministers have on the other hand been informed that in present circumstances it is practically impossible for any supplies to be drawn from this area and that in fact it has been necessary in certain cases to import supplies into Danubian countries from outside. In order to be able to reach a decision of principle about the proper sources of supply for meeting Austrian needs the Council of Foreign Ministers wish to have before it the full facts about the total exportable surpluses of foods of all kinds which are now available in the Danubian area and which it is estimated will become available from the 1946 harvest.

2. In order that this information may be available to the Council it is requested that the Allied Control Commission in Hungary/Roumania/Bulgaria should forthwith furnish a report of the total quantities of foods of all sorts actually available for export up to the end of August 1946 in Hungary/Roumania/Bulgaria, and of the total quantities of foods of all sorts which are estimated to become available for export in the period September 1946–August 1947. The Allied Control Commission should also report whether any commitments exist with regard to the distribution of these surpluses.

3. You should immediately consult with your colleagues on the Allied Control Commission and take such steps as you may jointly agree to be necessary in order to obtain the required information as quickly as possible. An agreed report on these lines should be sent by each representative on the Allied Control Commission to his Government and copies should at the same time be sent to the Allied Council in Vienna who will collate the information in these reports for presentation to the Council of Foreign Ministers. It is essential that your report should be in the hands of the Allied Council in Vienna not later than one month from the date of this telegram.

4. Similar instructions are being sent to the Allied Control Commissions in Roumania, Bulgaria and Hungary and enquiries on similar lines are being addressed to the Governments of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia.

[Annex 2]

Draft Telegram From the British, United States, French and Soviet Governments to Their Diplomatic Representatives in Prague and Belgrade

The Council of Foreign Ministers have noted with considerable disquiet the serious deficiencies in food supplies in Austria on which reports have been made to them by the Allied Council in Vienna. It has been represented to the Council of Foreign Ministers on the one hand that supplies for Austria should be largely drawn from the Danubian area some of which has been in the past a source of supply for meeting a large part of Austria’s needs. The Foreign Ministers have on the other hand been informed that in present circumstances it is practically impossible for any supplies to be drawn from this area and that in fact it has been necessary in certain cases to import supplies into Danubian countries from outside. In order to be able to reach a decision of principle about the proper sources of supplies for meeting Austrian needs, the Council of Foreign Ministers wish to have before it the full facts about the total exportable surpluses of foods of all kinds which are now available in the Danubian area and which it is estimated will become available from the 1946 harvest.

2. The Allied Control Commissions in Hungary, Roumania and Bulgaria have been instructed by the Governments represented on them to furnish a report forthwith of the total quantities of foods of all sorts actually available for export from those countries up to the end of August 1946, and of the total quantities of foods of all sorts which are estimated to become available for export in the period September 1946 to August 1947. The Allied Control Commissions have also been asked to report whether any commitments exist with regard to the distribution of these surpluses.

3. It would be greatly appreciated by the Council of Foreign Ministers if similar information could be provided to cover Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia in order that a complete picture of the area may be obtained.

4. In concert with your Soviet, United States and French colleagues who are receiving similar instructions, you should inform the Czechoslovak/Yugoslav Government of the above and ask them whether they will be good enough to co-operate with the Council of Foreign Ministers by providing you with information on the above lines. You should, if necessary, assure the Czechoslovak/Yugoslav Government that this enquiry does not imply any kind of desire on the part of the Council of Foreign Ministers to interfere with the normal production and distribution of food supplies in Czechoslovakia/Yugoslavia. But it seems to the Council essential to have as comprehensive a picture as possible of the present and future surplus resources of the whole Danubian area in order that they may best meet their responsibilities in Austria. The Council of Foreign Ministers also feel sure that the Czechoslovak/Yugoslav Government will agree that a comprehensive survey of the surplus resources of the area cannot fail to be of great value in itself and of considerable service to all the countries concerned.

5. The Allied Control Commissions in Hungary, Roumania and Bulgaria have been requested to furnish their reports within one month of the date of this telegram. It is greatly hoped that you will be able to obtain the required information from the Czechoslovak/Yugoslav Government in time to send your report within the same period.

6. A similar enquiry is being addressed to the Yugoslav/Czechoslovak Government.

[Annex 3]

Draft Telegram From the British, American, French and Soviet Governments to Their Representatives on the Allied Council in Vienna

The Council of Foreign Ministers have carefully considered the valuable reports on Austrian food supplies furnished by the Allied Council as a result of its meeting on September 17th.⁵³ In the discussion on these reports it has been represented to the Council of Foreign Ministers on the one hand that supplies for Austria should be largely drawn from the Danubian area, some of which has been in the past a source of supply for meeting a large part of Austria’s needs. The Foreign Ministers have on the other hand been informed that in present circumstances it is practically impossible for any supplies to be drawn from this area and that in fact it has been necessary in certain cases to import supplies into Danubian countries from outside. In order to be able to reach a decision of principle about the proper sources of supply for meeting Austrian needs on a long term basis, the Council of Foreign Ministers wish to have before it the full facts about the exportable surpluses of foods of all kinds which are now available in the Danubian area and which it is estimated should become available from the 1946 harvest.

2. The Allied Control Commissions in Hungary, Roumania and Bulgaria have been instructed to furnish a report forthwith of the total quantities of foods of all sorts actually available for export up to the end of August in Hungary, Roumania and Bulgaria and of the total quantities of foods of all sorts which are estimated to become available for export in the period Sept. 1946–August 1947. The Allied Control Commissions have also been asked to report whether any commitments exist with regard to the distribution of these surpluses.

3. These reports will be furnished to the Governments of the Controlling Powers and copies will be sent to the Allied Council in Vienna. The Allied Council should itself make such enquiries as it feels necessary to obtain, in addition to the information already supplied to the Council of Foreign Ministers, a complete picture of the present and future production and distribution of foodstuffs in Austria together with any recommendations about possible improvements.

4. The Czechoslovak and Yugoslav Governments are also being invited to supply information on the same lines as the Allied Control Commission, The information received from these two Governments will be communicated to the Allied Council as soon as possible.

5. As soon as the reports from Hungary, Roumania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia and the information concerning Austria itself are available to the Allied Council they should collate all these reports and draw up a comprehensive picture of the present situation and future prospects as regards the utilization of food from the countries in question to meet Austrian needs.

6. The Allied Control Commissions in Hungary, Roumania, and Bulgaria have been instructed to forward copies of their reports to the Allied Council in Vienna not later than one month from the date of this telegram. It is hoped that information from the Czechoslovak and Yugoslav Governments will be available within the same period. It is desired that the Allied Council should forward its comprehensive report to the Council of Foreign Ministers not later than six weeks from the date of this telegram.

7. Separate telegrams are being sent about ration scales to be applied in Austria and about arrangements for bringing supplies into Austria in the period before the Council of Foreign Ministers can take a further decision on the basis of the Reports to be received about the availability of surplus food in the Danubian area.

[Annex 4]

Draft Telegram From the British, American, French and Soviet Governments to Their Representatives on the Allied Council in Vienna

With reference to the question of ration scales and consumption levels to which the Allied Council in Vienna referred in their reports on Austrian food supplies, the Council of Foreign Ministers have agreed that the ration scales for the deficiency areas in Austria should be based on a per capita minimum ration of 1,550 calories a day for the normal consumer, maintaining the principle of differentiation for the various groups of the population on the basis of the type of labour performed. It is for the Allied Council to estimate both the quantity of food which can be obtained from local production and the quantity which remains to be imported in order to reach the above standard. The above scale is fixed on the basis of present possibilities of production and supply. It is hoped that this scale may be increased as more local or imported supplies become available.

52. The agreed recommendations of September 17, of the Allied Council for Austria to the Council of Foreign Ministers regarding the question of long-term supply arrangements for Austria were included in the memorandum by the United Kingdom delegation, C.F.M.(45) 42, September 22, p. 323.
53. See footnote 52, p. 412.