Paris should be instructed to make parallel representations to the French Go¬ 
vernment urging postponement of their plan on the ground that to proceed with it 
can only add unnecessary and very unwelcome complications to the task of the 
Foreign Ministers at the forthcoming Conference. 
3. If notwithstanding such representations the French Government decide to 
proceed with their plan we should make a formal protest and point out to the 
French that their action raises the question of putting trade between the combined 
zones and the French zone on a dollar basis. We and the Americans should invite 
the French immediately to discuss this question with the Bi-zonal authorities in 
Berlin which in all the circumstances is the most convenient centre. We should also 
make it clear that we have always insisted that a settlement of the reparations point 
must precede our agreement to the economic integration of the Saar with France. 
4. Our own view is that it would be unreasonable and inadvisable to interrupt trade 
between the combined zone and the French zone pending the outcome of these 
discussions provided the French agreed to enter upon them at the earliest possible 
date. 
5. Please do your best to get American agreement on the policy outlined above and 
to ensure that United States authorities in Germany take no hasty action in regard 
to the interruption of trade. 
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