740.00119 EW/10–2948: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in France 1
4231. Reurtel 5487 Oct 20,2 request you make reply French note substantially as follows:
“Humphrey committee has had preliminary conversations with French experts and specialists as requested.
Contemplated investigations will be directed in first instance to plants already dismantled or in process which French originally stated were 10 and Oct 26 increased to 15.
Humphrey committee, as agreed with Mr. Alphand in Paris on Oct 20, will recommend the release of plants from time to time before final report if any plants, or appropriate group of plants, can be so segregated as to be released independently.
Humphrey committee understands that there is no agreement with either British or French as to discontinuance of dismantling of plants in their zones which have already been suballocated. As to allocated plants which have not been suballocated, it is the hope of the committee that dismantling will be treated in all zones in same way as unallocated plants. Committee also understands that pending its review no dismantling will be started on any plants where dismantling has not previously been under way. Committee understands that paragraph numbered 4 of letter of Oct 20 from the French Foreign Minister3 relates only to discontinuance of dismantling and is not to imply any limitation on the duty of the Humphrey Committee to review.
No plants which may become available for reparations as the result of any future agreements with respect to prohibited, limited, or restricted industries have been referred to the Humphrey committee, [Page 831] and we think it is undesirable to attempt to make agreements on the subject of such plants at this time as an incident to arrangements for the consideration of plants now under review by the committee.”
For your information, but definitely not for repetition to French, Department informed that Coignard, head of reparations under General Koenig, intends attempt to cover in suitable agreement major points set forth above suggested letter.
- This telegram was repeated as 1782 to Berlin for Ambassador Murphy and as 1512 to Brussels for Delegate Daspit.↩
- The telegram under reference here is not printed. It transmitted the text of a French Foreign Ministry note of October 18 accepting the requests made by Hoffman (see the editorial note, p. 816) with certain reservations. (740.00119 EW/10–2048)↩
- The reference here is to the French Foreign Ministry note of October 18, not printed.↩