File No. 763.72111W74/3
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Liberia (Buckner)
, Washington, August 18, 1914, 8 p.m.
[Telegram]
Your August 14. Department has been informed that neutrality of Liberia will be respected by German and French Governments. French Chargé here states that Liberian Government should observe the obligations prescribed to neutrals by international law and that French Government has asked Liberia to close German wireless station at Monrovia which is corresponding with German authorities for military and naval purposes. For information of President [Page 714] Howard in taking such measures as he may deem necessary to preserve neutrality, the text of President Wilson’s recent proclamation on subject of radio communication is given herewith:
Whereas proclamations having been issued by me declaring the neutrality of the United States of America in the wars now existing between various European nations; and whereas it is desirable to take precautions to insure the enforcement of said proclamations in so far as the use of radio communication is concerned;
It is now ordered, by virtue of authority vested in me to establish regulations on the subject, that all radio stations within the jurisdiction of the United States of America are hereby prohibited from transmitting or receiving for delivery messages of an unneutral nature, and from in any way rendering to any one of the belligerents any unneutral service, during the continuance of hostilities. The enforcement of this order is hereby delegated to the Secretary of the Navy, who is authorized and directed to take such action in the premises as to him may appear necessary.
The President of the United States has now under consideration what steps, if any, should be taken with regard to controlling cable stations in the territory of the United States.
No reply has as yet been received to the Department’s cable asking for assurances from British Government that neutrality of Liberia will be respected.