740.00/11–2151: Telegram
The Consul at Strasbourg ( Andrews) to the Acting Secretary of State 1
53. Notwithstanding apparently successful beginning meeting between Congressional and Assembly delegates reported Contel 512 to Dept rptd 10 to Paris, London, Frankfort unn, several jarring notes have been struck by Congressional delegates. At private meeting Congressional del, just after arrival 18th Benton passed around so-called confidential document obtained “not through State Dept” purporting to give designs CE delegation on US involving further monetary contributions by US to Eur and expressed opinion that present affair was mainly propaganda stunt by CE. As result Keating questioned advisability accepting hospitality CE Secretariat in paying for hotel rooms but Cox set matter aright. In public morning session 20th Benton made excuses for inadequacy US dep resulting from alleged lack of briefing, prepared speeches and staff as contrasted with CE and also emphasized point that people in US are “distressed and perplexed” at lack of progress in Eur unity. Cox stressed “fact” that Amer delegation occupied “position more or less as observers and not, as I take it, full participants in meeting.”
At lunch my house Judd said in presence Spaak and Layton that most of Amer del were unfamiliar with Eur and international affairs and that only two or three were competent reps for present debates and that several were isolationists at heart.
Although impatience US del over failure some form Eur union by now clearly indicated in most US speeches, no resentment thus far observed on part Eurs, some of whom have in fact remarked that Amers not blunt enough. However, Eur apologia expounded by Spaak and Layton at todays sitting.