751.00/10–253

No. 618
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Director of the Office of Western European Affairs (Knight)

secret
  • Subject: Conversation with Ex-Prime Minister Pinay1

Participants:

  • The Secretary
  • Mr. Antoine Pinay, Ex-Prime Minister of France
  • Ambassador Bonnet, French Embassy
  • Mr. Ridgway B. Knight, WE
[Page 1390]

After the usual amenities Mr. Pinay proceeded to outline the basic situation of France today in very much the same terms as he had used previously with Mr. Merchant.2

The Secretary expressed his deep understanding and sympathy for difficulties facing the French people and proceeded to develop the importance which he placed on European unity. In this connection he stressed the importance which the United States places on the leadership of France which has shown so much political imagination in the past. When France displays this leadership she can count on the full support of the United States. It is to France and not to Germany that the United States looks to exert leadership in the European movement.

The Secretary apologized for speaking about French affairs as he was about to do and stressed that if he did so it was because he was an old and tried friend of France who had spent much time in France over a considerable period. Referring to the great economic and reconstruction effort which France has made between the two world wars, he commented that the French Governments of the period had failed in one respect: to seize the opportunity which offered itself when moderate German Governments were in power. It was only after Chancellor Bruening fell and was replaced by Hitler that France started making concessions. As a consequence the Germans became confirmed in the thought that it was only by pounding the table that concessions could be obtained from France. Had France made to Bruening only a portion of the concessions which she later made to Hitler, in all probability there never would have been a Hitler. While he realized all the historical and other difficulties in France’s path he ventured to hope that this mistake would not be repeated and that France would resolutely seize the opportunity which is now offered by the situation existing in Germany since the last elections. The Secretary said that he knew Chancellor Adenauer well and that he was sure that the latter was not a nationalist but essentially a European whose great desire is a reconciliation wth France. The Secretary concluded by saying that if this opportunity were lost perhaps we would thereby lose the last chance to raise Europe above her divisions and thus preserve the supremacy of European culture, institutions, and moral values.

Mr. Pinay expressed complete agreement with the Secretary and assured him that he was devoting his efforts to achieving these very objectives. He did point out, however, the many historical as well as economic reasons which in France impeded the movement toward European unity. Mr. Pinay stressed the essential need for [Page 1391] increasing the standard of living of the average Frenchman and expressed the hope that the West would not limit itself to developing a defense organization but would also organize its economy so as to be able to support the defense structure with greater ease. He concluded by saying that he belonged to those Frenchmen who preferred to earn dollars rather than receive them as gifts from a generous United States.

  1. According to despatch 2593 from Paris, May 22, Pinay met with Ambassador Dillon on May 21 to discuss a possible visit to the United States as a guest of the Chamber of Commerce. Because of his role as an important factor in the EDC ratification debates, Dillon recommended that the President and Secretary of State agree to arrange a meeting with him when he visited Washington. (033.5111/5–2253) According to telegram 5906 to Paris, June 8, Secretary Dulles agreed to meet with him and to arrange meetings with President Eisenhower and Secretary of the Treasury Humphrey. (033.5111/6–853) Pinay left Paris on Sept. 21 for a week-long visit to Canada, followed by a 2-week tour of the United States. Pinay, accompanied by French Ambassador Bonnet, met with President Eisenhower at 10 a.m. on Oct. 3 in the White House, but no record of this conversation has been found in Department of State files. (Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower records, “Daily Appointments”)
  2. A memorandum of the conversation between Pinay and Merchant, which took place at the Department of State on Oct. 1, is in file 751.00/10–153.