Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, European Advisory Commission, Austria, Germany, Volume III

740.00119 EW/4–2345: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)⁶⁵

Washington, April 28, 1945—7 p.m.

970. The President has appointed Edwin W. Pauley, Treasurer of Democratic National Committee, as the American member of the Reparations Commission with the rank of Ambassador.⁶⁶ Mr. Lubin will be his associate with the rank of Minister.

Since Maiski raised with you (reurtel 1317, April 23⁶⁷) the question of the Reparations Commission by asking about Lubin’s plans, you may inform him that:

1 The date of the American delegation’s departure has not definitely been fixed.

2 The United States Government does not understand why the Soviet Government has not issued an invitation to the French Government to send a representative to Moscow especially since Mr. Molotov in his letter (reurtel 1003, April 1) informed Ambassador Harriman that he considered it expedient to include a French representative.

3 The United States Government feels strongly that France as one of the Control Commission powers who will be responsible for the execution of the German reparations program should participate in its initial formulation as one of the original members of the Reparations Commission.

4 The United States Government hopes for an early reply to Ambassador Harriman’s letter of April 10 [9]⁶⁸ in the above sense.

You should use any of the arguments in Department’s telegrams 816 and 856⁶⁹ which you deem appropriate, reiterating especially that your Government sees no reason why any of the United Nations other than members of the German Control Commission should be included in the first instance in the Reparations Commission or why preference should be shown to any one nation which has suffered at the hands of Germany. This does not in any way preclude the issuance by the Commission of invitations to other nations to send representatives to sit with the Commission when matters directly affecting them are under discussion.

For your confidential information it is understood that the British have selected but not announced the head of their delegation which is tentatively planning to leave England late in first week of May. Department is attempting to have the American delegation’s departure coincide with the British departure but Pauley does not contemplate leaving until the question of the initial composition of Reparations Commission has been settled.

Grew

65. This telegram was repeated to London as Department’s 3347 with the following paragraph added: “Since your 3384, April 16, indicates full British support of French claim to membership on the Reparations Commission, it is hoped that the British Foreign Office will follow the same policy as the United States and will not have the British delegation leave for Moscow until the question of the composition of the Reparations Commission has been settled.” (740.00119 EW/4–2845)
66. President Truman’s letter of appointment, dated April 27, is quoted in the letter of September 14 from Mr. Pauley to the Secretary of State, p. 1290.
67. Not printed.
68. Not printed, but see telegram 1110, April 10, 10 a.m., from Moscow, p. 1194.
69. Dated April 7 and April 13, pp. 1192 and 1196, respectively.