600.119/2209: Telegram
The Ambassador in France ( Sharp ) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 3:08 p.m.]
6385. War Trade Board [from Stetson]: 704. Referring to Embassy’s 6292 of December 15, noon, our 680. Following is translation of text of note of French Ministry of Blockade, dated December 18th.
“Economic organization of the left bank of the Rhine. The Marshal of France, Commander in Chief of the Allied Armies, entrusted with the occupation of the left bank of the Rhine has informed the Government of the Republic certain propositions relative to the economic regime to be set up in these territories.
The blockade is, by right, maintained on the left bank of the Rhine. However, it seems that a well defined policy ought to be inspired with the principle that the Allies (while not losing sight of the enemy character of the population) should accustom these populations to the occupation and, in consequence, not render the occupation unbearable to them. Furthermore it is necessary to maintain order in the district. The work and the economic life must be assured to it within certain limits. It is these limits which it is necessary to define and the Marshal Commander in Chief is qualified from the point of view of authority to regulate, according to circumstances and in conformity with the instructions of the Allied Governments given through the intermediary of a committee sitting in Paris, the economic relations of the Rhine countries with the rest of Germany, with the neutrals and with the Allied countries.
[Page 764]This Inter-Allied Committee should define the general lines of policy, acting in accordance with the interest of the states represented, and deciding what products of the Rhine countries may be permitted to be exported, whether towards the Allied countries (taking into account the import prohibitions made by each of these countries), whether towards the neutral countries (taking into account the existing agreements with them, N.O.T. and S.S.S.37) or whether with Germany since it appears import trade38 sever all relations between the two banks of the Rhine. The Inter-Allied Committee should also control importations into the Rhine district, the same being in principle forbidden, except such as shall appear upon the free list which the Allied Governments will publish and of which the exportation from these countries will take place without authorization. For all other products licenses should be asked for only in cases of extreme necessity. Products of supply “ravitaillement” should be imported only on the orders of the Commission Inter Allié de Ravitaillement. The Committee should also see that the merchandise imported should not be reexported to Germany, each of the Governments regulating in accordance with its own legislation the authorization which it will give to its Nationals to do business with houses established on the left bank of the Rhine.
The Inter-Allied [Committee] of Paris will have as correspondent attached to the Marshal Commander in Chief a local Inter-Allied Commission, which will be executive. This is the same system applied for Switzerland and also for the Northern Neutrals of Europe.
The proposed procedure appears to be the best suited to the circumstances and one which permits a solution of each different case conformably with the necessities and without being compelled to establish principles which it seems impossible to define in the absence of any regulation. In any event the regime will have to be stabilized as soon as circumstances permit, that is to say, after the signature of peace or even after the signature of the preliminaries of peace.
The Ministry of Blockade, entrusted to [by] the Government of the Republic to create the Inter-Allied Committee, would appreciate if the Embassy of the United States would inform them at once of the name of the delegate designated by the Federal Government.”
Please instruct. Stetson.