862.014/8–1448: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State
2039. Personal for Saltzman and Hickerson. General Clay tells me that exercising the discretion granted him he authorized Litchfield in discussing question of time limitation on recommendations to be made by Ministers President regarding Land boundaries under London agreements to agree to postponement until October 15. This, Litchfield did in informal conversations with subordinate members Saint Hardouin’s staff. Also the liaison officers of the three military governors have apparently informed Minister President Stock (Hesse), Arnold (North Rhine Westphalia) and Altmeier (Rhine Palatinate) that date for submission of proposals for changes in Laender boundaries has been postponed to October 15.1
I gather from conversation with De Noblet yesterday that the French have very much in mind a postponement of convention of constituent assembly and believe they will link this question with the postponement of the report on Laender boundaries. De Noblet also informed me that his government was very much opposed to the inclusion in the constituent assembly of delegations from the city of Berlin on the theory that this would be an added irritant in the present complicated situation and that his government in any event was opposed to it in principle.
Sent Department 2039; repeated London 476, Paris 482.
- According to document MGMP/Memo(48) 4, August 17, not printed, the Liaison Officers of the Military Governors (Litchfield, Chaput de Saintonge, and Joos) met on August 12 in Frankfurt with Ministers President Stock, Arnold, and Altmeir (representing all the Ministers President of the Western Zones of Occupation). The text of a statement by the three Military Governors extending to October 15 the time limit for the proposals of the Ministers President concerning changes of Laender boundaries was presented to and accepted by the Ministers President. (740.00119 Control (Germany)/8–3148)↩