Mr. Hale to Mr. Hay.
Vienna, October 18, 1904.
Sir: I beg to state that the secretary of the Belgian legation, here at Vienna, informed me some time ago that the Red Star Line had made complaint through his mission of the action on the part of the local authorities at the Hungarian frontier in arresting would-Le emigrants for the United States en route via Antwerp and bearing steamship tickets by the Red Star Line, confiscating the said tickets, and either forcing their bearers to return to their native villages or sending them direct to Fiume, alleging that embarkation from that port alone was permissible. Thirty such specific cases have been handed to the foreign office here by the Belgian minister.
The German chargé d’affaires also told me in August last that he had protested on the same grounds in the interests of the German shipping companies, and I have learned on reliable authority that the German ambassador himself last week presented 130 such cases to this Government, and also that the Government of the Netherlands has recently taken similar action. I mention these facts to show that the actions of the Hungarian frontier authorities have not been directed against the Red Star Line alone.
Yesterday morning I sent for Mr. Rudolf Strasser, the general representative of the company at Vienna, who only confirmed what I already knew in the matter. I then asked for an interview with Count Goluchowski, the minister for foreign affairs, who received me in the afternoon. Count Goluchowski stated that in regard to the action of the frontier authorities in seizing the steamship tickets of emigrants going by any line he had already protested strongly against such action to Count Tisza, the Hungarian premier, and that the latter had replied that the necessary instructions would be given immediately prohibiting such violence. When I referred to the application made by the Red Star Line for license to do business in Hungary, and suggested, as per instruction, a favorable consideration of the same, Count Goluchowski said he had heard nothing of it, but would inquire into the matter. He added, however, quite frankly that the Hungarian Government’s attitude was not favorable to such a petition; that the granting of the same would naturally entail similar concessions to the German lines, and that the refusal to permit any steamship lines to establish themselves in Hungary was a matter well within the right of that government to decide.
Previous to my reception by Count Goluchowski, but after I had asked to be received by him, I received a letter from Mr. Edward Strasser, the manager of the Red Star Line at Antwerp, stating that he had been notified of your cable instruction to me, first above referred to, and that he would come to Vienna any time after the 20th instant that I would name to fully explain the situation. I have just written to him stating that I was received by Count Goluchowski yesterday and am reporting to-day the result of my interview to the Department, and have suggested that unless he feels that the embassy is not fully enough acquainted with the situation that his journey here is not necessary.
I have, etc.,