Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1914, Supplement, The World War

File No. 763.72114/32

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State

American Embassy,
London, October 8, 1914.
[Received 4:25 p.m.]

[Telegram]

800. Your circular telegram 5th regarding communications to missions in belligerent countries. I have hitherto made a practice of telegraphing through the Department all communications to the Embassies at Berlin and Vienna from the British Government of such a nature as seemed to me to require laying before the Department. Does the Department wish me to transmit inquiries and communications involving merely the details of carrying out relief work and repatriation of belligerent subjects and other routine work arranged for through the Department? I send weekly to Berlin and Vienna by messenger a number of written documents of a miscellaneous and comparatively unimportant character which would be very greatly delayed by transmission through Washington. May I continue to act on these lines?

American Ambassador

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Page)

[Telegram]

Department of State,
Washington , October 9, 1914.

284. Your 800. Department’s circular instruction of the 5th contemplated that you might transmit by any route that in your discretion would seem most feasible, all communications relating to the subjects of a belligerent with whose affairs you are charged. This means that you may communicate in any manner which may seem best to you inquiries and communications involving merely the details of carrying out relief work and repatriation of belligerent subjects and other routine work connected therewith.

Referring to your request for instructions, you may continue to send weekly to Berlin and Vienna by messenger or otherwise any miscellaneous or comparatively unimportant documents which may relate to prisoners or subjects of a belligerent.

Lansing