File No. 165.009/29a
The Secretary of State to the Minister in the Netherlands (Van Dyke)1
Washington, November 17, 1914.
[Telegram]
58. In view that none of belligerents have listed cotton as contraband and that cotton is in fact non-contraband, and in view of British declaration that shipments of cotton on neutral vessels to any of the countries of Europe will not be seized or interfered with, Department considers that no difficulties will be presented by Netherlands Government either to consignments of cotton for German ports via Netherlands or to shipments of cotton consigned to Netherlands concerns for reexportation to Germany. But as American shippers are uncertain of situation, Department would like for you to obtain from Netherlands Government a favorable statement on the two points presented.
- The same, mutatis mutandis, to the Minister in Sweden (No. 2) and the Ambassador in Italy (No. 87).↩