740.00119 Control (Italy)/7–2745: Telegram
No. 1115
The Director of European
Affairs (
Matthews
) to the Special Assistant to the Director of
European Affairs (
Reber
)1
Victory 380. To the State Department for Reber from Matthews.
I have been in close touch with McCloy, who sent another personal telegram2 to Douglas yesterday. I hope you will do your best to persuade Douglas to reconsider and convince him of the State Department’s real interest in having him take the job. Regardless of the unfortunate handling of this question in the past, I know that Marshal Alexander is sincerely anxious for Douglas to take the post of Chief Commissioner.
[Page 1103]No decision has been made with regard to any date for terminating the Allied Commission’s activities and even when that does take place, it is our thought that Douglas would continue on as Chief Economic Adviser in any machinery set up for helping Italy solve her problems. There is a vitally important job to be done, and I know Douglas is the best man to do it.