560AL/6–1647: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Troutman) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
509. Personal for Clayton from Wilcox. 1. Am being asked what is status of new program for aid to Europe, whether it will be presented to ECE meeting and how it is related to tariff and ITO negotiations.1
2. Contrast Bevin’s speech June 13 praising US offer of further aid with Cripps’ speech June 62 bitterly criticizing US and disparaging importance tariff negotiations and ITO. Inference that aid program makes results Geneva negotiations unimportant tends to impair our bargaining position here. Question for consideration is how we can use program to improve bargaining position.
3. Assumption here has been that you will not return until wool issue settled. On basis reports in press, am now being asked when you will return Geneva, whether you will stop in London and Paris en route and what is schedule for subsequent trips. [Wilcox.]
- For documentation regarding the United States interest in the rehabilitation of Europe and the “Marshall Plan,” see Vol. iii, pp. 197 ff.↩
- The speech was given on June 11; see footnote 4, above.↩