Presented by the Secretary
in person to the President
on October 1, 1944
 
 
September 29, 1944
 
 
                MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT                
 
 
 The Cabinet Committee has not been able to agree
upon a statement of American policy for the post-war
treatment of Germany. The memorandum presented by the
Secretary of the Treasury is decidedly at variance with
the views developed in the State Department. In the
meantime, I have received your memorandum of September 15,
with the statements of views respecting the Ruhr, Saar,
etc., and the conversion of Germany into an agricultural
and pastoral country, which was formulated at Quebec.
This memorandum seems to reflect largely the opinions of
the Secretary of the Treasury in the treatment to be ac-
corded Germany. I feel that I should-therefore submit
to you the line of thought that has been developing in
the State Department on this matter.
 
 
1.  Status of negotiatins with the English and the Russians
 
 
The instrument of unconditional surrender of Germany
has been recommended by the European Advisory Commission 
and has been formally approved by this Government. It is 
anticipated that British and Russian approval will be 
forthcoming. The question of the American and British 
zones of occupation was, according to your memorandum, 
worked out at Quebec and there will presumably be no more 
difficulty over this matter. In the meantime, the European 
Advisory Commission is going ahead on plans for a tri-
partite control machinery and military government for Ger-
many during the occupation period. All three governments 
have submitted proposals which are similar in their general 
outline. The American proposal contemplates a Supreme 
Authority consisting of the three Commanding Generals of 
the U. S., the U.K. and the U. S. S. R, which would coordinate 
Allied control of Germany and supervise such centralized
governmental functions and economic activities as the 
 
 
three