740.00119 Control (Germany)/5–1848
The Under Secretary of State (Lovett) to the Secretary of the Army (Royall)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I have your letter of May 18, 1948,1 in which you have expressed concern regarding proposals put forth by Ambassador Douglas in London relating to the agreement for the international control of the Ruhr. I understand that the points at issue are being worked out satisfactorily within the United States Delegation.
Whatever final wording may be agreed upon at London, I am convinced that, with respect to the Ruhr control authority, protection of United States financial responsibility in Germany during the period of the Economic Recovery Program should be sought through coordination of any special arrangements for the Ruhr with the over-all recovery program and its administration. We must not forget that this Government’s position with respect to Germany as formulated at the time of the conclusion of the amended Bizonal Agreement must now be understood in relation to the subsequent and over-riding policy of the President and Congress as expressed in the Economic Cooperation Act which covers the European economic problem as a whole.
Sincerely yours,