The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador (Bernstorff)
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: In reply to your note of to-day’s date (No. A 7066) requesting that I urge upon the Department of Justice that the trial of the cases involving the Hamburg-American Line and some of its officers and employees be postponed, I regret to state that after a careful review of the case, and in view of the consideration which has already been shown by the prolonged delay in bringing these cases to trial, I find myself unable to further interfere with the regular procedure which the Department of Justice believes in the interest of impartial justice should be carried out immediately in regard to these cases.
I do not understand that the question involved in these cases is now the subject of diplomatic discussion between your Government and mine, and I am inclined to feel that if it were it would not have an embarrassing effect upon the diplomatic discussion.
I am [etc.]