763.72119 P 43/979: Telegram

The Special Representative ( House ) to the Secretary of State

99. Secret for the President. Referring further to our number 61.1 I beg to suggest the following:

The whole problem of securing political intelligence, establishing an adequate counterespionage organization and providing protection for you and for the personnel, papers, and property of the American representatives at the Peace Conference should be dealt with, I believe, along the following lines:

1. Political intelligence.

At the present time the United States officials in Europe charged with considering political and economic questions presented by the [Page 195] termination of the war are receiving practically no dependable information concerning political and economic conditions in the following countries: Poland, Bohemia, Ukraine, Austria, Servia, (including Yugo-Slavia), Hungary, Bulgaria, Albania and Turkey. From Roumania and Greece some information is obtained but it is very incomplete. I consider it essential that we at once set up instrumentalities in these localities which will furnish us with information concerning political conditions in these countries and that this information should come to us through American eyes. I do not think it will be difficult promptly to set up an organization for this purpose and I suggest that I be authorized to proceed along the following lines:

  • Subparagraph A. After conferring with Hoover and learning his plans for relief, to select men from among the United States military and naval forces now in Europe and from any other available sources, who shall be appointed for the time being, agents of the Department of State. These men to constitute the basis of a “political intelligence section” of the American delegation to the Peace Conference.
  • Subparagraph B. To despatch the men so selected as soon as practicable to do so, to points such as Warsaw, Lemberg, Posen, Prague, Berne [Brün?] (Moravia) Budapest, Vienna, Innsbruck or Salzburg, Belgrade, Agram, Serajevo, Sofia, Bucharest (and some point in Transylvania), Kief, Scutari, Constantinople and Odessa. One agent should be sent to each place and he should take with him one code clerk with codes, one stenographer and if necessary one interpreter. A courier service also will shortly have to be established to operate between the United States and individual agents and their base from which messages could be forwarded by telegraph to Paris.
  • Subparagraph C. These agents so selected not to be in any sense accredited to the countries in which they are located. The military and naval men will of course not wear their uniforms. So far as possible the governments in the localities to which they are sent will be requested to give them assistance in the conduct of their work. These men would work in close cooperation with any relief agencies set up by Hoover.
  • Subparagraph D. To set up at some point in the Balkans, such as possibly Bucharest, a central office to which these agents can forward (probably for the President by courier only) their reports for transmission to the United States via Paris.
  • Subparagraph E. To establish at Paris for the assistance of the American delegation at the Peace Conference a “political intelligence section” under the direction of Grew and such other persons as the State Department may send to help him to which would be forwarded all reports from these agents and from other agents of the Department of State already constituted in European countries.

2. Counterespionage organization.

I have conferred with General Nolan, the head of the United States Military Intelligence in Europe, and I believe that this work should be handed over to him and I suggest that a civil official of [Page 196] the Department of State who has an appreciation of the duty of work desired done should be associated with him.

3. The protection of the President and of the American delegation at the Peace Conference and their [papers] and property.

I suggest that the most practical method of handling this problem is through the use of the military authorities working under the direction of General Nolan who is entirely familiar with the peculiar conditions presented by this kind of work in France.

Almost all of the personnel to do the work outlined in paragraph 1 can be obtained here in Europe. I should very much appreciate an expression of your views respecting this important matter. If the plan as outlined is promptly approved it can be put into operation before the Peace Conference is called.

Edward House
  1. Supra.