851B.01/8
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
I inquired somewhat pointedly of the Ambassador65 what the French Government proposed to do about the Martinique ship situation. He spoke rather indistinctly for a time and said very little, if [Page 508] anything. I then inquired very pointedly what the French Government proposed to do, if anything, about the ships now in the harbor at Martinique. He said that the French Government would like to get permission from the German Government for these ships at Martinique to be exempted from the requirements of the armistice agreement66 so that they might be used for merchandising and other services for the benefit of French colonies and the French Government. I inquired why they had not made this request before now, and he replied that they first desired to know whether it would be agreeable with this Government. I stated that, of course, this Government would be obliged to have a commission in charge of these ships before it could give sufficient assurance to the British and to our own Government that these ships would not depart at some time and possibly fall into the hands of Germany. I then added that the French Government appeared now to decline the proposal which the Ambassador made some days ago to the effect that we might send a commission to keep the ships in charge, or under observation, with the result that the French Government proposed nothing except for us to have a consul in Martinique. I said we were getting very impatient and disappointed at the course of the French Government in this regard; that we have worked for some weeks in an effort to bring about an amicable adjustment of this matter for the benefit of all concerned, but that the French appeared to be as far away from doing anything now as at the beginning. I said, furthermore, that it seemed that the French, having insisted on taking their own course, the British and this country would presumably take their own respective courses. The Ambassador seemed disappointed that something could not be done about it. I made rather sharp complaint against his Government about its course in the matter and related it back to the bitterly disappointing course of his Government with regard to the disposition of the French Navy under the armistice terms, after pledging me and others that in no circumstances would the French fleet be permitted to fall into the hands of Germany.67 I stated that there was confusion about this situation, just as there seemed to be increasing confusion about all other phases of the situation in Europe, including the question of the needs of the suffering people and the possibility of any practicable plans for ministering to them. The Ambassador at first professed to think I was referring only to France and its Government, possibly because I had been criticising the Government in connection with the naval situation at Martinique, as well as abroad.