740.00119 Control (Germany)/12–345: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 4—12:24 p.m.]
6950. The question of the Rhineland and the Ruhr continues to agitate public opinion in France and the Nationalist and pro-de Gaulle press has given considerable attention to the recent reports of Mr. Byron Price76 and General Eisenhower77 which blame France for blocking efforts to create certain central organizations in Germany. President Truman’s press conference of November 3078 in which he referred to possibility of revising Potsdam Agreement is interpreted with alarm in many circles as forecasting a move by US to eliminate “veto” for any one power on ACC in Berlin. There is also tendency to consider drop in coal shipments from US and Ruhr as pressure tactics.
It is of considerable significance that Socialist leader Leon Blum in midst of important debates on nationalization of credit devotes his leading editorial in Populaire of December 2 to “Franco-American tension”. Close summary of this article follows.
Blum refers to “serious reports” from US which may increase tension between France and that great Republic. He points out that this tension contrary to predictions from certain circles is not the result of important place given to Communists in new Govt nor of plans for nationalization of certain industries but is connected with German affairs. American Govt and American people, says Blum, blame France for blocking measures for setting up certain central administrations in Germany which other three Allies consider essential to prevent chaos developing from present disorder.
Chief argument of French Govt, continues Blum, is: “The centralization plan comes out of Potsdam. We were not invited and consequently we will have nothing to do with it.” Blum considers this reasoning is hard to defend. France naturally must reserve her right to criticize and question any decisions in which she did not [Page 915] take part but she must not consider all such decisions as necessarily wrong and inacceptable.
Blum also questions tactics of Couve de Murville in Washington which he describes as attempting to trade French abandonment of its veto in Berlin for acceptance by US of French views on Rhineland and Ruhr. Such tactics may harm rather than help French chances of achieving its aims.
Blum then argues that administrative centralization of Germany should be studied on its merits. He feels that all difficulties in Germany arise from fatal mistake of creating four zones of occupation instead of setting up a joint Allied occupation. (Emb No. 3832, June 25.79) The Allied Control Commission in Berlin is the only corrective to the harmful system of separate zones and France should do everything in its power to facilitate its work until such time as the Security Council of UNO80 can take over. In this matter as in all others only internal organization can offer real solution.
While Communist press has given little attention to problem discussed above it has naturally supported Potsdam Agreement and indicated its disapproval of French attitude at Berlin in opposing wishes of “Big Three”. Question of separate Rhineland state has been completely ignored and no clear opinion has been expressed on interna[tional]ization of Ruhr.
- Byron Price, the former U.S. Director of Censorship, visited Germany as President Truman’s personal representative to survey the relationship between the U.S. forces of occupation and the German population. See the “Report of Byron Price to the President,” November 9, 1945, Department of State Bulletin, December 2, 1945, p. 885.↩
- In his third report on military government in Germany, released to the press November 1, General Eisenhower attributed the failure to achieve a unified system of administration for Germany to the unwillingness of the French to agree to the establishment of central administrative agencies; see New York Times, November 1, 1945, p. 1, col. 4.↩
- At his press conference on November 29 the President urged the modification of the Potsdam Agreement to prevent a single occupying power in Germany from nullifying the control decisions of the other three powers, ibid., November 30, p. 1, col. 8.↩
- Not printed.↩
- United Nations Organization.↩