740.00119 Control (Germany)/7–2247
Memorandum by the Secretary of State to the Secretary of Agriculture (Anderson)58
Dear Anderson: I gave hasty consideration to your report to the President of July 18 on Friday and then passed it on to my staff for a more careful scrutiny. Since then there have been developments in relation to the French reaction to the level of industry proposals for Germany that have produced a very delicate situation, particularly with regard to the development of the meetings of the sixteen nations in Paris.59
Under the circumstances, I think it would be unwise to publish the report in its present form for the reason that it stresses the economic reconstruction of Germany virtually to the exclusion of any mention of our interest in the reconstruction of the liberated areas—which is the basis of the Paris conference. I fear that its publication would add fuel to the flames now raging by reason of the agreement negotiated between General Clay and General Robertson. The Communist propagandists would probably almost certainly seize upon extracts from your report to press their charge that we are concentrating on the rehabilitation of Germany to the disadvantage of the liberated nations.
Possibly, it might be arranged to publish extracts from the report, but I am of the opinion that at the present delicate moment in our dealings with the French and the continued effort of the Communists to exploit every opportunity to our disadvantage I would really prefer [Page 1157] that no publicity be given. I am sorry to say this because I was tremendously impressed by your statement at the Cabinet meeting last Friday.60
I am sending this to you and telephoning my view to Steelman at the White House.
- Filed with the source text is an undated memorandum from C. Tyler Wood to Under Secretary Lovett recommending against publication of the letter from Secretary Anderson to President Truman, supra. The memorandum also urged opposition to Secretary Anderson’s proposal for a cabinet committee on Germany on the grounds that “Experience with the Informal Policy Committee on Germany revealed the impracticality of attempts to make foreign policy by cabinet committees.”↩
- For documentation regarding the revised level of industry plan for the Western zones of occupation in Germany, see pp. 977 ff. For documentation regarding the interest of the United States in the Conference of European Economic Cooperation in Paris, July 12–September 22, 1947, see volume iii .↩
- July 18.↩