740.00119 EW/5–2745
The British Minister (Makins) to the
Assistant Secretary of State (Clayton)
Washington, May 27,
1945.
My Dear Mr. Clayton: I enclose a memorandum of
the preliminary views of His Majesty’s Government concerning the
employment of German labour as a form of reparation.
- 2.
- This matter was raised informally with Mr. Eden in San Francisco
by Mr. Pauley and Mr. Eden undertook to ascertain the preliminary
views of His Majesty’s Government on his return to London.
- 3.
- Mr. Eden would like to know the opinion of the United States
Government on this subject, and I should be very glad of an
opportunity to discuss the question with you in the near
future.
- 4.
- I am sending a copy of this letter to Mr. McCloy24 as I understand that he took part in the
discussions at San Francisco.
Yours sincerely,
[Enclosure—Memorandum]
The Use of German Labour as Reparation
- 1
- His Majesty’s Government consider that no objections should be
raised to the use of German labour as reparation, although they
[Page 1232]
themselves will
probably seek such labour as they require only from among German
prisoners of war.
- 2
- His Majesty’s Government were at first attracted by the idea
of selecting German reparation labour only from among ardent
Nazis such as members of the S.S. and the Gestapo, but on
further consideration they very much doubt whether it would be
practicable to make a selection on this basis from prisoners of
war in our hands. Moreover, many countries may well prefer not
to have to deal with a labour force composed entirely of active
ex-Nazis.
- 3
- His Majesty’s Government attach importance to the point that
no fresh impressment of German labour should be undertaken after
a given period, and that this period should be the shortest
possible, perhaps no more than six months from the cessation of
partisan hostilities. They consider that there is little hope of
settled conditions in Germany while the threat of deportation
hangs over its citizens, and experience in occupied Europe
suggests that this threat is one of the strongest incentives to
the establishment of a resistance movement.
- 4
- A point of considerable difficulty is whether an attempt
should be made to reach any agreement between countries
employing German labour on conditions of employment. They
realise that it would be difficult to keep check on the
observance of such an agreement, but they incline to the view
that once labour is recognised as a form of reparation, all
countries which make use of it should sign a declaration
regarding the conditions under which such labour would be
employed. This declaration would lay down certain minimum
standards as to food, lodging, medical treatment, work, pay and
period of service.
Washington,
May 27,
1945.
