Paris Peace Conf. 103.93/54
Mr. Herman Suter75 to the Secretary General of the Commission to Negotiate Peace (Grew)
Subject: Interchange of Wireless Service Between France and the United States.
When the United States entered the war an arrangement was made between the United States and France for an interchange of wireless service. This included the transmission of news reports from the United States to Paris through the Committee on Public Information.
After it had been decided that the Peace Conference was to be held in Paris a continuance of the wireless arrangement was negotiated personally between Colonel House and Premier Clemenceau: This continuance was for the duration of the Conference.
This made possible the continuance of the wireless news reports from America for release to the English Language newspapers of Paris, as well as the French press. In addition a large amount of editorial comment and many special reports were transmitted from the United States to the American Commission to Negotiate Peace. There was transmitted back to America all the official communiqués and statements of the Peace Conference, announcements of the American Commission, and President Wilson’s addresses. In addition this [Page 620] wireless arrangement greatly facilitated the frequent world-wide broadcasting of presidential and Conference announcements.
Owing to the crowded condition of the cables the service was broadened to include a daily transmission to the United States of 3,000 words for the three American Press Associations, and an additional 3,000 words for the leading American newspapers.
Still another development was the adding of a 400 word American news service daily to central Europe, sent from the wireless station located on Eiffel Tower.
This whole wireless arrangement has been of great value to the Government and to our people during the Peace Conference, especially in view of the terribly congested condition of the cables.
I have just had a letter from Colonel Cartier, head of the French Radio system, suggesting that the interchange of wireless service between the United States and France being a wartime arrangement, now that Peace has been signed with Germany, a new arrangement should be made.
In view of the many important matters before the Peace Conference yet, including treaties to be concluded with Austria, Bulgaria, and Turkey, it would be very unfortunate to have the wireless service in any way curtailed until at least the bulk of the more important matters are settled.
I believe if Commissioner White recalled the arrangement to the attention of Premier Clemenceau, it could be continued without interruption. In this way a valuable line of communication is constantly available, one that has already proved to be an avenue for goodwill between the two countries.
- Of the Committee on Public Information.↩