Editorial Note
In an undated letter handed to Secretary of State Marshall in Paris on October 6, not printed, Foreign Minister Schuman reviewed French arguments against the American proposal to suspend the dismantling of factories in Germany pending the results of the Humphrey Committee inquiry. Schuman emphasized that an extended delay of dismantling could not be reconciled with current French policy toward Germany and risked bringing to an end the inter-allied policy on reparations (740.00119 EW/10–648). There is no indication in the files of the Department of State that Secretary Marshall replied to the letter or discussed with Schuman any of the issues raised therein. During a brief visit to Paris on October 12, Economic Cooperation Administrator Hoffman called on Schuman. No record of the meeting has been found, but evidence in the files of the Department of State indicates that Hoffman urged a suspension of dismantling and a delay of French requests for new allocations from the Inter-Allied Reparation Agency until the Humphrey Committee had completed its review.