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

File No. 124.0665/a

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Austria-Hungary (Penfield)¹

Department of State,
Washington, November 25, 1914.

[Telegram]

305. This Government is desirous of establishing uniform regulations for transmission of correspondence of American diplomatic and consular officers in belligerent territory.

Inquire of the Austro-Hungarian Government whether it would agree to the following regulations for American diplomatic and consular officers in Austria-Hungary:

1. All correspondence between American diplomatic and consular officers within Austrian territory to be inviolable if under seal of office.

2. No correspondence of private individuals to be forwarded by diplomatic and consular officers under official cover or seal.

3. Official correspondence between American diplomatic officers residing in different countries is not to be opened or molested if under seal of office.

4. Official correspondence under seal of office between the Department of State and American diplomatic and consular officers is not to be opened or molested.

5. Pouches under seal passing between American diplomatic missions by mail or courier not to be opened or molested.

6. Correspondence other than that described in [the] foregoing sent by ordinary mail to be subject to usual censorship.

Similar inquiries being made of other belligerent governments in respect to correspondence of American officers in their dominions.

Bryan

1. The same, mutatis mutandis, to the Ambassadors in Great Britain, Germany, France, Japan, Turkey, and the Minister in Servia (Nos. 620, 709, 310, unnumbered, 71, and 12, respectively); on December 4, to the Ambassador in Russia (No. 91).