File No. 701.6311/145a
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Austria-Hungary (Penfield)
887. You are instructed to present immediately the following a note to the Foreign Office:
Mr. Constantin Dumba, the Austra-Hungarian Ambassador at Washington, has admitted that he proposed to his Government plans to instigate strikes in American manufacturing plants engaged in the production of munitions of war. The information reached this Government through a copy of a letter of the Ambassador to his Government. The bearer was an American citizen [Page 934] named Archibald, who was traveling under an American passport. The Ambassador has admitted that he employed Archibald to bear official despatches from him to his Government.
By reason of the admitted purpose and intent of Mr. Dumba to conspire to cripple legitimate industries of the people of the United States and to interrupt their legitimate trade, and by reason of the flagrant violation of diplomatic propriety in employing an American citizen protected by an American passport as a secret bearer of official despatches through the lines of the enemy of Austria-Hungary, the President directs me to inform your excellency that Mr. Dumba is no longer acceptable to the Government of the United States as the Ambassador of His Imperial Majesty at Washington.
Believing that the Imperial and Royal Government will realize that the Government of the United States has no alternative but to request the recall of Mr. Dumba on account of his improper conduct, the Government of the United States expresses its deep regret that this course has become necessary and assures the Imperial and Royal Government that it sincerely desires to continue the cordial and friendly relations which exist between the United States and Austria-Hungary.1
- A copy of this note was delivered to the Ambassador in New York by special messenger September 9.↩