File No. 763.72/1255
The Consul at Roubaix (Watson) to the Secretary of State
Roubaix, October 17, 1914.
[Received November 23.]
No. 6]
Sir: I have the honor to report that on account of the appearance of French and German troops in this vicinity and the danger of [Page 806] injury to the cities of Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Lille therefrom, I called on the mayor of Roubaix Monday morning, October 5, 1914, and made the following suggestion: That a delegation from the three cities be sent to the commanders of the opposing armies and try to bring about an agreement between them not to fire on these cities, or to enter or occupy them, while fighting was going on in the neighborhood. I offered to accompany the delegation. The mayor and his cabinet considered the suggestion and informed me the same afternoon that they approved of it, and it was arranged to lay the matter before the prefect of the department. Accordingly the mayor and myself called on the prefect at Lille the next day, October 6, 1914. The prefect thought that the plan was not feasible, but requested me to represent to the German commander that there was a large trade between the United States and these cities, as he thought that such a statement would have great weight in influencing him not to injure these cities. This I offered to do, if the French authorities would find out where the German headquarters were and provide an automobile for the trip.
On Friday morning October 9, 1914, the automobile was sent to the consulate and took me to the German headquarters. I informed the German general that the United States had a large trade with Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Lille which it was interested in preserving, and I hoped that these cities would not be injured. The general answered that he had no desire to harm these cities but claimed an indemnity on account of having been fired upon by civilians in Lille on October 4. The result of our conversation was that the general drew up a provisional agreement by which the French and German staffs agreed to eliminate these cities from the field of military operation, provided the cities would pay fifteen million francs to the German commander. I returned to Roubaix during the night and laid the offer before the prefect and the mayors of the several cities the next morning, October 10, 1914.
The French officials decided that there would be time enough to arrange about an indemnity when the German Army appeared at their gates, and advised the consul not to take up the matter with the French General Staff, because it would not consider such a proposition. For these reasons, the consul took no further steps in this matter.
I have [etc.]