740.00119 Control (Germany)/3–2649: Telegram
The Acting United States Political Adviser for Germany (Riddleberger) to the Secretary of State
451. Personal for Murphy Eyes Only. Although Clay in recent past has become increasingly pessimistic over chances of establishment of West German Government in near future (Reurtel 353, March 241), it was only late yesterday that he first expressed to me the view that it would inevitably be postponed. His reason is not so much that it would be prudent to postpone its establishment as it is that the increasing restrictions which are developing under the Occupation Statute and PRI2 plus the failure to agree on common policies have resulted in a political failure for the Western powers and that German sentiment is now turning against a West German Government. Consequently, last night Clay sent an Eyes Only cable for Voorhees and Murphy3 expressing these opinions and also stating that French delaying tactics have now been successful. In talking to me this morning, I had the strong impression that Clay’s pessimism over the establishment of a West German Government was intensified by his conversation with Kennan from which Clay deduced a lack of determination on the part of the US to push ahead vigorously with the establishment of the West German Government.4 Clay now feels that in spite of the lack of popular support from the bizonal administration, it might be possible to start anew on a bizonal basis by giving it political responsibility and perhaps confiding to it the task of drafting the German constitution.
- Not printed; it informed Riddleberger that Clay had expressed his opinion to Douglas that it might be prudent to postpone the establishment of the West German Government because of the variety of restrictions that were emerging in the Ruhr Authority, Military Security Board, occupation statute, and prohibited and restricted industries. (740.00119 Control (Germany)/3–2549)↩
- For documentation on the London negotiations on the occupation statute and prohibited and restricted industries, see pp. 1 ff. and pp. 546 ff.↩
- Not found in Department of State files.↩
- For an account of Kennan’s trip to Germany during March, see Kennan, Memoirs, pp. 429–442.↩