Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, European Advisory Commission, Austria, Germany, Volume III

740.00119 Control (Germany)/6–945: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

Washington, June 9, 1945—7 p.m.

4641. From MacLeish.⁴⁵ White House with approval of State, War and Navy Departments and General Eisenhower plans to release to the press IPCOG 1/4⁴⁶ of May 11 (formerly JCS 1067) within few days. Detailed list of persons to be arrested has been deleted from numbered paragraph 8. Several references to obsolete or incompleted documents also deleted.

Numbered paragraph 10 states that United States policies on control of information media in Germany, accrediting of foreign correspondents, press censorship and news communiqués will be sent to Eisenhower separately. Publication of IPCOG 1/4 will lead to inquiries about status of these papers which include JCS 1109⁴⁷ and 1323⁴⁸ now before EAC. It is understood no separate papers have been prepared on press censorship and news communiqués.

War and Navy Departments have stated they have no objection to release of 1109 and 1323 at this time. Dept. has asked that telegram be sent to Eisenhower to confirm this view.

War Department states these two papers are now the basis of planning by American component of Control Council for control of public information and regulation of foreign correspondents in U.S. zone in advance of agreement among four occupying powers.

I feel that we should as soon as possible make public here our Government’s policies concerning control of information in Germany during the period of occupation but we do not wish to do this until we are sure of status of existing and projected negotiations concerning these matters and plans for putting these policies into effect in American zone.

What is the present status in London of these two documents? Do you concur in Department’s view that they be published now if Eisenhower approves?

If 1109 is approved for release, Department plans to bring document up-to-date by deleting first three paragraphs, renumbering remaining paragraphs, changing three governing powers to four, and changing term “supreme authority” to “Control Council”. Text of proposed release on 1109 is given in immediate following telegram.

Proposed release on 1323 would be introduced as follows:

“U.S. policy on regulation of foreign correspondents in Germany.

“A statement of American policy on the regulation of foreign correspondents in Germany has been sent to the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. forces of occupation in Germany. This policy will guide him in planning for the regulation of foreign correspondents in the U.S. zone of Germany and in negotiations as the U.S. representative on the Control Council in Germany. The text of the statement follows:” (there follows verbatim text of 1323 beginning “definition of foreign correspondent”).

Do you approve texts of these two releases? [MacLeish.]

Grew

45. Archibald MacLeish, Assistant Secretary of State.
46. Designation for the “Directive to Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Forces of Occupation Regarding the Military Government of Germany” as finally approved by President Truman on May 10, 1945.
47. Draft Directive on control of public information in Germany which was circulated in the European Advisory Commission by the United States Representative as document E.A.C. (44)32, dated November 23, 1944, not printed.
48. Draft agreement on the status of foreign correspondents in Germany, which was circulated in the European Advisory Commission by the United States Representative as document E.A.C. (45) 55, dated May 18, 1945, not printed.