Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Germany)/12–448: Telegram

The United States Military Governor for Germany (Clay) to the Under Secretary of the Army (Draper)1

top secret
urgent
Berlin, 3 December 1948.

CC–6958. From CINCEUR Berlin Germany personal from Clay to Dept of Army personal for Draper. Am seriously disturbed with information in London 5053 to State Department.2 The London Agreement on Ruhr was published in Germany and accepted at least tacitly. An extension of further powers to authority now would be disastrous politically in Germany and would lead in my opinion to loss of production in the Ruhr. Communist propaganda would make the most of it.

[Page 541]

I realize that the French reaction if the authority is not extended may be equally damaging to our objectives in Europe.

If, in fact, Ruhr authority can not now be developed along lines agreed in London, I would suggest indefinite postponement.

I believe this might be acceptable now to the French since they have been invited to join control groups for steel and coal which will continue during occupation period. Benelux countries will not like it but could possibly be consoled by liaison representation with control groups.

If French insist on immediate agreement, then we should stand on terms agreed at London. However, we could point out our readiness to forego establishment of authority now in view of existing political tensions relying on the control groups. We could also point out that terms of London Agreement would still stand and that the establishment of the authority could be undertaken as soon as the atmosphere clears and in any case prior to conclusion of peace treaty.

This seems to me sensible solution if we wish to avoid possibly damaging results to our objectives in either France or in Germany.

[
Clay
]

  1. Under Secretary Draper transmitted the source text to Under Secretary of State Lovett on December 4. The text of this message was also transmitted to the Department of State in Ambassador Murphy’s telegram 2870, December 3, from Berlin, not printed. Ambassador Murphy added the following personal comment:

    “There is, I believe, validity in the suggestion that, haying now invited the French to participate in the coal and steel groups in the Ruhr, if we are to add an association in those groups for Benelux, it would be desirable to defer further consideration of Ruhr authority paper if that consideration entails going far afield from outline agreed in Annex C. I would appreciate benefit of Department’s comment.” (740.00119 Control (Germany)/12–348)

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  2. Dated November 30, p. 537.↩