711.5914/48½
The Danish Minister (Brun) to the Secretary of State 3
Paraphrase of Cablegram Received on November 25th From the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs
“As I have already advised you in an earlier cablegram, the cession of the Danish West India Islands would in Denmark be felt as a great national loss, and only under the pressure of necessity would our country consider consenting to such a step.
When however the United States, in spite of their friendly feelings towards us and notwithstanding their respect for our sovereign rights, consider it possible that, in the situations which have been suggested, circumstances could compel them to occupy the islands, and as Denmark for this reason must count on being in the future so situated with regard to the islands, that it, if it declines to enter into negotiations, will constantly have to fear being drawn into an international conflict in the situations which have been suggested, then our country is placed in such a position that it will not be able to refuse to consider a proposition from the United States, if such a proposition should be made.”
- This paper bears the notation: “Recd from Danish Minister Dec. 1, 1915 RL.”↩