June 12, 1920.
AMERICAN EMBASSY, _Paris_:
Department is receiving telegrams and letters protesting against the
use of African troops in occupied Germany by the French. Please give
your views as to the truth of the accusations being made against the
behavior of these troops and whether you believe these accusations are
well founded. Advise department what you deem advisable in the way of
representations to the French Government on this subject. It is not
department’s desire to lend too credulous an ear to these sensational
reports and yet it may be of interest to the French Government to know
that such reports are being persistently circulated and that they are
having a harmful effect on public opinion, not being fully refuted.