File No. 841.731/102
The Ambassador in Germany (Gerard) to the Secretary of State
Berlin, December 4, 1914, 3 p.m.
[Received December 5, 6 p.m.]
[Telegram]
995. Commenting on necessity for untrammeled telegraphic communication between the United States and Germany for cotton matters, the Foreign Office states that it appears from reliable sources that cablegrams sent even from neutral countries via commercial line and Western Union to New Orleans and Memphis containing references to cotton such as giving or confirming orders or repetition unanswered cable messages have not been answered. It is therefore assumed by interested parties that England has censored such messages so as to endeavor to render illusory her agreement to permit cotton to come as non-contraband to any European countries. It is urged that the American Government take steps to secure unhampered transmission of cotton messages.