740.00119 EW/11–2545: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
Paris, November
25, 1945—9 p.m.
[Received November 25—5 p.m.]
[Received November 25—5 p.m.]
6805. From Angell No. 87. Further with respect to accounting for labor services.
- 1.
- In view of British refusal to support US view that labor services be charged against reparation share of employing countries in category of remaining assets, I consider that it is not practicable to attempt to maintain present US position.
- 2.
- As an alternative I propose to adopt Waley position that labor be taken into account by rough adjustment of share of French and other countries that now use or may use large quantities of labor.
- 3.
- On this basis, I would not envisage any change from proposed
French share suggested in my recent communications.54 Following
considerations support this position:
- a.
- Prisoners transferred thus far were given to French without stipulation as to charge against reparation share. Therefore, only future labor service is properly to be considered.
- b.
- Labor likely to be surplus both with respect to German requirements after capital removal and to demands of claimant countries for German labor. French share ought not to be charged at full rate for such surplus labor.
- c.
- Use of labor services already given some weight in reduction of French share from level indicated by statistical considerations to present proposed share.
- 4.
- This proposed treatment of labor would be without prejudice to US right to define conditions and terminal date for use of PWs transferred [Page 1415] by US to other countries. I would also stipulate that if either voluntary or compulsory labor of German civilians is made available to reparation claimants such services will be charged at reasonable net value against reparation share of employing countries in category of remainder of reparation assets.
- 5.
- Require reply, even if preliminary, to arrive here by Monday afternoon.55 [Angell.]
Caffery