Date and number

1919 Jan. 15 (6746)

FINANCIAL QUESTIONS-Continued

Subject

The Chargé in France (Bliss) to the Acting Secretary of State
(tel.)

For the Secretary of the Treasury from Crosby: Indications
that Venizelos intends to appeal for further credits to maintain
Greek Army on preceding year's level.

Jan. 15 (242)

Jan. 15 (244)

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate
Peace (tel.)

569

For Lansing from Glass: Information that Strauss is being sent to Europe for a short stay.

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate
Peace (tel.)

569

Jan. 15 (246)

Jan. 17

For the President from Glass: Information that action is
being taken in accordance with telegram No. 252, January 11.
The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate
Peace (tel.)

For Davis from Glass: Approval of appointment as Treas-
ury representative on the council described in telegram No.
186 of January 7.

570

President Wilson to the Secretary of State

571

Approval of decision to follow General Bliss' advice in answering Mr. Crosby concerning Belgian Army.

Jan. 21

The Secretary of State to the Special Commissioner of Finance in
Europe (Crosby)

571

Statement that the United States should not finance any increase in any military establishment in Europe.

REPARATIONS

1918 Nov. 10 (11)

Nov. 17 (17)

Nov. 22

Nov. 23 (151)

The Special Representative (House) to President Wilson (tel.)
Recommendation, in view of enormous claims which France
and Belgium will make on Germany, that U. S. engineers make
an approximate estimate for U. S. Government's guidance.
The Special Representative (House) to President Wilson (tel.)
Inquiry whether to proceed with estimate.

The Italian Ambassador (Macchi di Cellere) to the Secretary of
State

Observation that peace treaty should exempt property
owned by Allied citizens in enemy countries from taxes for
payment of war indemnities or should provide special indem-
nity for reimbursement of such taxes; desire to be informed of
U. S. attitude.

(Footnote: Information to the Italian Chargé, December 24,
that the question would receive attentive consideration.)

The Special Representative (House) to the Secretary of State (tel.)
For the President: Request to General Pershing, upon re-
ceipt of President's authorization to proceed, for detail of offi-
cer to undertake estimate; assignment of Brigadier General
C. H. McKinstry.

575

575

575

576

REPARATIONS-Continued

1918 Nov. 24

Nov. 30
(4162)

Dec. 4

Dec. 4

Dec. 6

Dec. 6

Dec. 12
(3406)

Dec. 12

Dec. 21

(40)

Subject

Brigadier General C. H. McKinstry to the Special Representative
(House)

Recommendations regarding procedure to be followed in
estimating damage to industries in the invaded parts of Bel-
gium and France; preference for verification of Belgian and
French estimates rather than independent investigation.

The Chargé in Great Britain (Laughlin) to the Secretary of State
(tel.)

For Rathbone from Goodhue: Request for estimates of
valuation of German Government and private property in the
United States and U. S. Government and private property in
Germany, total cost of war to the U. S. Government, and annual
pre-war increase in U. S. national income.

Colonel E. M. House to Brigadier General C. H. McKinstry
Instructions to proceed with estimate, consulting with French
and Belgian officials as occasions require.
Mr. D. H. Miller to Colonel E. M. House (tel.)

Uncertainty of final attitude of British as to indemnities;
desirability of asking British, French, and Italians for definite
formulation of attitude on this and financial questions generally.
Mr. D. H. Miller to Colonel E. M. House (tel.)
Views of Keynes regarding question of indemnities.
The Diplomatic Liaison Officer With the Supreme War Council
(Frasier) to Brigadier General C. H. McKinstry
Letter from the French Foreign Minister to Colonel House,
December 5 (text printed), advising that General McKinstry
may communicate with the two French Ministers who are in
charge of evaluation of damages in invaded portions of France,
and stating that French investigation continues to show that
losses are greater than previously supposed.

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Great Britain
(Laughlin) (tel.)

For Crosby from Rathbone: Reply to Goodhue's inquiries
transmitted in telegram No. 4162 of November 30.
Memorandum by the Advisory Counsel of the American Mission
to the Inter-Allied Council on War Purchases and Finance
(Cravath)

Presentation of some of the principal problems to be considered in the forthcoming discussions on indemnities, including a tentative program respecting indemnity to be paid by Germany, and preliminary conclusion that wisest course would be for Allies to err on the side of leniency and avoid subjecting Germany to an army of occupation for several years and to a crushing burden of external debt for a generation or more. The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State (tel.)

From Lansing: Request for estimate of property of citizens of the old Austrian Empire and the present German-Austria de facto Government now held by the Alien Property Custodian; desire for information as to procedure for disposing of such property.

Page

576

580

581

582

582

582

583

584

605

REPARATIONS Continued

Subject

Date and number

1918 Dec. 22

Dec. 28

General Tasker H. Bliss to Brigadier General C. H. McKinstry
Inability to furnish information, in reply to an inquiry from
General McKinstry, as to who is going to make an estimate of
what Germany can afford to pay; suggestion that matter be
discussed with Colonel House.

Memorandum by Dr. A. A. Young

Suggestion that U. S. policy with respect to indemnities be
based on the principle that actual personal compensation is the
purpose as well as the measure of the indemnity.

Dec. 30 Brigadier General C. H. McKinstry to the Chief of Engineers,
American Expeditionary Forces (Langfitt)

1919 Jan. 1

Jan. 5

Jan. 6

Report on the nature and status of the work in connection with evaluation of war damages to France and Belgium.

Brigadier General C. H. McKinstry to the Commission to Nego-
tiate Peace

Presentation of certain questions discussed with Colonel
House, and in general all questions relating to verification of
French and Belgian war damages, to the Commission for
determination.

Memorandum by General Tasker H. Bliss for the Commission to
Negotiate Peace

Recommendation that after certain groups of claims are
formulated, American experts select a few claims for inde-
pendent investigation and judge the approximate accuracy of
the entire claim by the results.

The Chief of Staff, American Expeditionary Forces (McAndrews),
to the Chief of Engineers, A. E. F. (Langfitt)
Impossibility of furnishing the organization, equipment, and
authority for expenditure of A. E. F. funds called for in
General McKinstry's report of December 30, 1918; willingness,
however, to permit use of existing facilities.

Jan. 9 (211)

From Lansing: Desire of the Commission for a statement of the claims of American citizens against Germany.

The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of
State (tel.)

619

Jan. 9

Memorandum by Mr. John Foster Dulles

619

Observations on the memorandum by Mr. Cravath, December 12, 1918.

Jan. 11 (186)

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate
Peace (tel.)

622

Jan. 21 (344)

Information that Brazilian Government has instructed its
Minister at Paris to present itemized claim for indemnities from
Germany.

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate
Peace (tel.)

Telegram from the Alien Property Custodian (text printed)
to be sent in reply to Commission's telegram No. 40 of Decem-
ber 21, 1918, stating that the settlement of enemy debts in the
United States as authorized by Congress is being continued,
and outlining general principles for disposing of entire question
of enemy debts and enemy property.

From Polk for the Secretary of State: Department's belief that in general the Alien Property Custodian's plan is a fair one.

622

FOOD RELIEF

The Food Administrator (Hoover) to President Wilson

Desire that Colonel House be informed of Mr. Hoover's telegram to Mr. J. P. Cotton, Food Administration representative in London, and be advised that no arrangements for food relief for liberated populations should be undertaken until after Mr. Hoover's arrival in Paris.

President Wilson to the Secretary of State

Instructions to carry out Mr. Hoover's request.

The Special Representative (House) to the Secretary of State (tel.) For the President: Suggestion that as soon as the armistice is signed the President propose immediate formation of an international relief organization, to be headed by Mr. Hoover and composed of two representatives each from the United States, England, France, Italy, and Germany, and that Germany be asked to place her merchant marine at the disposal of this organization until the final peace treaty is signed. Nov. 12 The Swiss Minister (Sulzer) to the Secretary of State

Telegram from German Government asking whether U. S. Government will send food without delay if public order is maintained in Germany and equitable distribution of food is guaranteed (text printed).

Nov. 12 The Secretary of State to the Swiss Minister (Sulzer)

Communication for German Government stating that President Wilson is ready to consider favorably the supplying of food to Germany (text printed).

Nov. 14 The Food Administrator (Hoover) to President Wilson

Need of appropriation to provide working capital for food relief to liberated peoples and neutrals; belief that German food problem could be handled through such agencies as the Army and the Grain Corporation, with possibly the Presidential fund.

Nov. 14 The Food Administrator (Hoover) to President Wilson

Nov. 18 (45)

Nov. 21

Telegraphic instructions to Mr. Cotton (text printed), in
accord with President Wilson's suggestion, to convey to Food
Administration officials, Colonel House, and Mr. Cravath,
statement of U. S. policy regarding food relief for other than
Allied nations. Information for British Minister of Blockade
that organization for distributing U. S. food to liberated
parts of Europe must await Mr. Hoover's arrival.

The Secretary of State to the Special Representative (House) (tel.)
Telegraphic request from Austrian Government that Allied
Powers and United States intervene in order that shipments of
coal be sent forward from Bohemia and Moravia to avert
imminent coal famine in Vienna (text printed).

(Similar message to the Ambassador in France on November
20, with instructions to confer with Colonel House and take
such steps with Czechoslovak National Council as might
seem desirable.)

The Swiss Minister (Sulzer) to the Secretary of State

Telegraphic plea from German-Austrian Government that
U. S. and Allied Governments intervene with Czechoslovak
National Council to obtain permission for export and transpor-
tation of coal into German Austria (text printed).

627

627

628

629

629

630

631

632

633

Date and number

FOOD RELIEF-Continued

Subject

1918 Nov. 21

The Swiss Minister (Sulzer) to the Secretary of State

Telegram from German Government asking President
Wilson's support of German request to the Y. M. C. A. for
relief of German prisoners of war and interned civilians (text
printed).

Nov. 22 The Italian Ambassador (Macchi di Cellere) to the Secretary of
State

Desire to learn U. S. opinion on appeals from Austrian-
Hungarian Government that Allies and United States (1)
remove restrictions on neutral commerce and permit export of
clothing and medical supplies from Switzerland to Austria-
Hungary, and (2) authorize their diplomatic missions at Berne
to establish direct relations with Austrian-Hungarian Legation
there for purpose of handling questions pertaining to the
provisioning of Austria.

(Transmitted by the Department to the Commission to Negotiate Peace on December 19.)

Nov. 23 (150)

Page

634

635

The Minister in Roumania (Vopicka) to the Secretary of State
(tel.)

635

Nov. 27 (6450)

Nov. 27 (188)

Nov. 27 (189)

Nov. 28

Nov. 28

Inquiry if part of wheat shipment reportedly on the way to
Europe could be sent to Roumania, where it is absolutely

necessary.

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Sharp) (tel.)
Assumption that Ambassador and Colonel House will bring
all pertinent correspondence to Mr. Hoover's attention; infor-
mation that representations by Serbians and Montenegrins for
food supplies have become pressing.

The Special Representative (House) to the Secretary of State (tel.)
For the President: Information that Mr. Hoover has arrived
and that his plans are, with some alterations, in general as
stated in telegram No. 66 of November 8; desire to present to
Supreme War Council meeting at London on December 1 a
written communication (text printed) setting forth plan for
administration of relief under an American Director General.

The Special Representative (House) to the Secretary of State (tel.)
For the President: Preliminary expressions by British and
French financial and food officials with respect to proposed in-
ternational relief plan.

The Swiss Minister (Sulzer) to the Secretary of State

Communications from German Government (text printed) appealing for discussions between American and German plenipotentiaries at The Hague regarding food relief for Germany and asking that a German mission be permitted to come to the United States to present statement of food conditions in Germany.

President Wilson to the Secretary of State

636

636

639

640

641

Nov. 28 (2)

Desire that Colonel House be authorized to propose his plan, on the understanding that Mr. Hoover agrees.

The Chairman of the United States Shipping Board (Hurley) to
the Secretary of State (tel.)

For the President: Objections to shipping features of relief plan on ground that they amount to surrender of control of American shipping to foreign bodies.

642