740.00119 Control (Germany)/12–448: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
5106. Ruhrto 30. After UK statement in plenary on French proposals (Ruhrto 221) Stevens stated privately to heads US, French and Netherlands delegations strong UK position that any provision re excessive concentrations of economic power in Ruhr must not be such as, to enable IAR to find that public ownership per se is an excessive concentration. (Compare use of “in private hands” Paragraph 5 Ruhrto 182) French representative expressed great fear concentration in hands unknown German Government. Netherlands representative felt strongly that possibility public ownership reinforced need for supervision management. US representative said could not accept any provision which implied public ownership could not be excessive concentration. All agreed nationalization in hands of aggressive nationalistic German Government would be dangerous and UK trying to draft words including concept of danger to security. All discussion by USDel stated without prejudice to US position on French proposals.
Brief talk also with British and French re defining “those found to have furthered Nazi aggression” within meaning French proposals. Agreed difficult in view (a) differing de-Nazification procedures three zones (b) problem of imposing added disabilities on top of sentences given in de-Nazification proceedings (c) problem of persons not found [Page 546] Nazis but who furthered Nazi aggressions. General consensus that this problem will have to be faced by military governors under trusteeship laws in control period and any IAR procedure should be determined at end control period in light of procedures worked out by military governors.
Sent Department; repeated Berlin 628.