740.00119 EW/3–747
President Truman to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: On April 27, 1945, I appointed the Honorable Edwin W. Pauley as my Personal Representative on Reparations [Page 1105] Matters with the rank of Ambassador and as United States Representative on the Allied Commission on Reparations. At that time I directed Ambassador Pauley to report to me personally and directly on all matters within his jurisdiction.
In recent discussions between you and Ambassador Pauley, and Ambassador Pauley and me, it has been agreed that, in view of the special importance that reparations questions will probably assume at the forthcoming meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Moscow, it would be desirable to centralize full authority and responsibility for these proceedings in you as Secretary of State.
Pursuant to these discussions Ambassador Pauley submitted to me on February 14, 1947, his resignation as my Personal Representative on Reparations Matters and as United States Representative on the Allied Commission on Reparations. I have with reluctance accepted Ambassador Pauley’s resignation in a letter to him of this date, a copy of which is attached.87
I trust that the experience and knowledge gained by Mr. Pauley in reparations problems will be available to you as you may require.88
Very sincerely yours,
- The attachment is not printed.↩
- Pauley subsequently became Special Adviser to the Secretary of State on Reparations. Regarding Pauley’s duties and the arrangements under which he carried on his work in the Department of State, see the letter from Pauley to the Secretary of State, November 13, 1947, p. 713.↩