740.00119 Council/4–1447

The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Bevin) to the Secretary of State

Dear Mr. Marshall: I have had some telegrams during the past two days from Berlin which have caused me a good deal of concern. It seems that there are rather wide differences of opinion as to how our joint arrangements for the economic fusion of our Zones should work, and there has even been an indication given that it might be better to cancel these arrangements and work our own Zones separately. In view of the statements which we have both made here at the Conference table I feel that this is rather a serious matter.

I am sure that you would wish to have General Clay’s advice and his account of what has been taking place in Berlin recently. Do you think that it would be possible to get him here within the next few days, so that he and Robertson could talk things over frankly between them and then report generally to yourself and me?

Yours sincerely,

Ernest Bevin