863.5018/12–1547: Telegram
The Assistant Secretary of State for Occupied Areas (Saltzman) to the United States High Commissioner for Austria (Keyes)
Martel 79. Pass to Keyes from Saltzman. State Department replying my message reporting your advocacy of immediately increasing Austrian ration to 1800 cabled as follows:
“Due to present uncertainty as to both finances and supplies for Austria, do not believe we can encourage Austrians at this time to raise ration though realizing that decision on ration scale should be made by Austrian Government and Allied Council”.
Department, however, is taking all possible steps help keep food pipeline filled, and, as you know, has been able facilitate arrangements two previous shipments grain.
Hope to discuss briefly with French, British here possible economic program for Austria, preliminary to detailed discussions and study, both Vienna, Washington and Paris, London in general line with your ideas expressed to me here.
Department fully realizes urgency of action to consolidate position of Austrian Government and moderate elements in Austria as well as to make provision for Austrian economic developments in anticipation of continued deadlock over treaty. Financial aid, however, must be reconciled with overall ERP considerations which are in state of flux according meagre information available here.
Repeated Department for information Army Department.