740.5/12–2954: Telegram
The United States High Commissioner for Germany (Conant) to the Department of State 1
niact
1870. For Secretary from Conant. Saw Chancellor at his house this morning. He and Blankenhorn relatively optimistic about outcome Paris vote. He spent some time combatting any idea that if vote is satisfactory, nevertheless French have proved themselves so unreliable there will be difficulties in future. He feels this point view wrong and believes once present hurdle is overcome development Western European Union will proceed satisfactorily. In this connection he foresees no difficulty with treaties either in his committees or in Bundestag. This optimism of Chancellor was premised on assumption that all goes well in Paris tonight.
If vote is negative, situation will be completely altered here in Germany. Under these conditions, as Chancellor pointed out, mood of Germans will be one of great disillusionment and his own position extremely difficult. In discussion of what dramatic moves might be made at once if negative vote in Paris, idea developed that if Chancellor, you and Eden could meet in London Monday, the announcement of this meeting would have highly salutary effect on German public and Parliamentary opinion. Decision to hold such 3-Power meeting should come within twelve hours of bad news from Paris. Chancellor under these conditions would not call Cabinet meeting until after [Page 1531] London meeting Monday, which presumably would be followed by larger meeting Western European Union countries and U.S. Idea would be to have no statements made by British, U.S. or German Governments prior to 3–Power meeting. The more we talked about this idea, the more it appealed to Chancellor and it seems to me it has many merits from psychological point view here in Germany. From my point view, if result in Paris is negative it is essential to do something at once to strengthen position Chancellor. Having him meet on equal basis with you and Eden and no others would be clear sign to Germany of your recognition Chancellor’s equal status.
In separate telegram, I am reporting some of ideas Chancellor would present at such meeting if it occurs.2
- Repeated niact to London and to Paris for Reinhardt and Wallner.↩
- Presumably a reference to telegram 1872 from Bonn, Dec. 29, not printed, in which Conant reported Adenauer’s idea of strengthening the federal border police; according to Adenauer, some immediate strengthening of the military situation was necessary in order to prevent inhabitants of the East Zone from losing heart and to keep people in West Germany from rapidly moving to a neutralist position (740.5/12–2954).↩