File No. 300.115/729

Senator Williams to the Secretary of State

My dear Mr. Secretary: Here is a telegram from Mr. W. P. Kretschmar, of Greenville, Mississippi. Judging by his name he is an American of German descent. Of course, cottonseed oil and cottonseed oil cake are distinctly declared by the conference of London to be non-contraband, not even conditional contraband, and I hardly think it likely that any of the belligerents are interfering with the shipments of these two products. I send you the wire, however, in order that you may inquire into it and take such methods as may be necessary, in case it is a fact.

I am [etc.]

John Sharp Williams

[Enclosure—Telegram]

The President of the Chamber of Commerce, Greenville, Mississippi ( W. P. Kretschmar ), to Senator Williams

British Government is interfering with shipments of cottonseed oil and cake to neutral countries like Holland and Denmark. Please take such immediate action as you deem advisable in the premises with view of having [Page 322] same stopped, because if it continues it will put the cottonseed oil industry in the same deplorable condition as the cotton people and deprive the planters of practically only revenue they are deriving from the present cotton crop.

W. P. Kretschmar