840.00/6–1647: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom ( Gallman ) to the Secretary of State
3279. I saw Bevin this morning. He told me that he would leave tomorrow morning for Paris for the discussions with Ramadier1 and Bidault on the Secretary’s offer to [of] aid to Europe. He would return [Page 255] to London Wednesday night. On Thursday, the nineteenth, he would have to speak in the Commons on the opposition motion to debate recent developments in eastern Europe. He said he regretted a debate on this subject had been called for this time. He would have preferred to have it come somewhat later.
Immediately following the Secretary’s Harvard speech, Bevin said, he approached the French about an exchange of views on it. It was not, however, until Friday night after his speech before the Foreign Press Association here that he decided to visit Paris. He had not made up his mind on just what to say to the French. He was thinking along the lines of a British–French Monnet plan for Europe as a first step. As a result of soundings made in Brussels, he felt certain the Belgians would support such a plan. The Dutch, he believed, would also be interested.
In this matter, he continued, he did not want to work outside the United Nations. At some point the United Nations should be brought in. He hesitated though about the ECE being used. He would have to have more time to consider this.
On his return from Paris he said he would give Ambassador Douglas a full account of his talks.
The Secretary’s Harvard speech, Bevin then said, was an announcement of the greatest historic significance. It rightly placed responsibility on Europe to make the next move and formulate a plan of reconstruction. The three immediate problems to be considered in any plan were food, coal and transport.
Bevin’s concluding observations were that the US was in the position today where Britain was at the end of the Napoleonic wars. When those wars ended Britain held about 30 percent of the world’s wealth. The US today holds about 50 percent. Britain for 18 years after Waterloo “practically gave away her exports” but this resulted in stability and a hundred years of peace.
Sent Dept 3279; repeated Paris as 327.
- Paul Ramadier, President of the French Council of Ministers.↩