850.33/9–950
Memorandum by the Director of the Bureau of German Affairs (Byroade) to the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Perkins) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Thorp)
It is clear that the Schuman Plan negotiations are reaching a critical stage just at the time of the Ministers’ meeting1 in New York. I understand that we have sent a series of telegrams2 to the Embassy in Paris asking them to express our serious concern about a number of aspects of the current drafts. This concern arises principally from the introduction of various means of checking and cushioning too rapid adjustment to the conditions of competition in a single market and seems to reflect the views of industry and labor in France as well as these groups and the governments in Benelux.
In addition, the High Commission will shortly have to deal with a France-German coal agreement which includes provisions for single sales agencies in France and Germany and for long-term agreement on the portion of the French coal market which the Germans are to have.
In our view it would be a mistake to take action on these matters designed to bring the difference of view between us and the Europeans to a head without considering fully the impact of our action on the Secretary’s negotiations in New York. Moreover, it may prove to be desirable to ask the Secretary to bring our views to the attention of [Page 748] M. Schuman in a personal conversation rather than to ask the Embassy in Paris to take any further action. I suggest, therefore, that we be extremely careful in the coming week to consider any action we may take with respect to the Schuman Plan in the light of the situation in New York and the possibility that the Secretary may be in a position to present our views in the most useful and effective way.