763.72119 P 43/959: Telegram
Colonel E. M. House to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:37 p.m.]
201. Secret for Polk from Auchincloss. With the approval of the Colonel, I am informally trying to get the financial, shipping and general economic representatives of the United States in Europe prepared in some measure for the Inter-Allied conferences and the Peace Conference. At the present time I am requested to get them to ascertain as nearly as possible along what lines their British and French colleagues expect to proceed in these conferences. Of course this work is entirely informal inasmuch as none of these men have been specifically selected by the President to do this work. Most likely they are the necessary United States representatives on the spot or in prospect, who have any knowledge of these matters which are sure to be of vital importance at the Conference. At the present time the Treasury Department is well represented by Davis with whom I have had a number of long talks. … Hurley of course represents our Shipping Board and I am in close touch with him. Stevens, Rublee and Morrow who are in London are available for this work, but I am not sure that Hurley will be willing to call upon them as long as he is over here. Summers, provided some of his organization is left here to help him, is entirely able to look after the raw material questions. The Food Administration work is being handled by Hoover together with the general [Page 175] relief work. Inasmuch as the Colonel could not see Hoover when he was here I have been working matters out with him. McFadden and Sheldon and, if necessary, Stewart, with all of whom I have been in conference, are available for War Trade Board and general commercial work. McFadden seems to me to be the ablest of these, but Sheldon has a very intimate knowledge of the situation and is most helpful. The Alien Property Custodian has no representative here and according to the list received from the Department of those coming with the President you apparently do not intend to send such a representative to Europe at this time. I strongly suggest that you get the Department to send some one over to represent the Alien Property Custodian. Would it be possible to send Bradley Palmer?33 It would seem to me he would be very useful.
At lunch yesterday when a number of the above representatives were present, they urged that an attempt be made to bring them together every day to compare notes so as to afford greater coordination of their efforts. Occasionally amazingly contradictory telegrams go through to Washington and this ought to be avoided. I am taking steps informally to bring about greater cooperation pursuant to the wishes of these gentlemen. I send you the above for your information. The British are bringing over a very large body of financial and economic representatives and we have simply got to be prepared to meet them and to advise our delegates. My personal opinion has always been (and this has been reinforced by information received since I have been here) that economic questions will be at the basis of almost every dispute which will arise at the conferences and accordingly I think we ought to make some effort to prepare the facts upon which the President can adopt the policy of the United States respecting these matters. I would be glad [to] have your comment on the above.
- Assistant Counsel to the Alien Property Custodian.↩