891.51A/625: Telegram
The Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:15 p.m.]
744. Millspaugh Mission is so understaffed and over-worked that its members have become discouraged to point of wishing to resign [Page 534] To prevent breakup of this Mission which is the key to our adviser program Department is urged to expedite departure of the six assistants and to arrange if possible for the temporary detail of Bonnevalle and Speaks. It would be helpful if Department telegraph at once status of negotiations of employment of these eight persons.
Subordinate members of Millspaugh Mission feel that Millspaugh has undertaken such a comprehensive program that he has virtually become a government within a government. To carry out this complicated program under existing chaotic conditions would require they estimate employment of 94 Americans. It would indeed seem that either adequate American personnel must be obtained or a large part of the program abandoned in its incipiency. It seems unlikely in view of financial condition of Iran and present temper of Majlis, that legislative authority for employment of additional large number of American advisers could be obtained.
Can Department offer any suggestion as to how to meet this seeming impasse? Would it be possible to assign to Iran at American expense a group of men who are being trained for AMGOT42 work.
- American Military Government, Occupied Territory.↩