Office of the Historian

800.48 FAA/12–247

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
top secret
urgent
niact
London, December 2, 1947—6 p.m.

6277. For Lovett from Douglas. Please transmit following to John Vorys,1 House of Representatives:

“I am sending you this secret message, which you may show Eaton, Chris Herter, Joe Martin,2 to tell you of Secretary Marshall’s grave [Page 808] concern over the critical state of affairs in France. This concern is held also by Bevin with whom Marshall privately discussed the matter today.

There is in France a very real struggle for power. Thorez, the French Communist leader has just returned from Moscow, probably with a promise of wheat, which he may make public in the near future at the proper time, in an effort to throw the balance of weight against US.

If we are not to run the serious risk of losing France, we should act promptly. Therefore, if the House is favorable to interim aid, it should approve it at once. Time is of the essence. Hardly a day can be lost. This is not, I promise you, a cry of “wolf, wolf”. This we firmly believe is a brute reality.

The situation has moved dangerously far during the last two weeks. Prompt action by the Congress would so encourage and strengthen the favorable forces in France that, in our opinion, they will be able successfully to prevent what is a flagrant attempt to seize power.

You know the far-reaching significance to Germany, Italy, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and to other areas, were France to fall.

Marshall feels the situation is self-evident, and that a message from him might be regarded as a routine administration appeal. Because of the urgency of speed, I disagree, and hope you will use your great influence to expedite action by the House.

I trust you will understand that this intrusion is the result of firm conviction that time cannot be lost if we do not want to run an undue risk of losing the stakes”.

Douglas
  1. John M. Vorys, of Ohio, a member of the Select Committee on Foreign Aid, House of Representatives.↩
  2. Charles A. Eaton, of New Jersey, and Christian A. Herter, of Massachusetts, chairman and vice chairman of the Select Committee on Foreign Aid, House of Representatives; Joseph W. Martin, Jr., of Massachusetts, Speaker of the House of Representatives.↩