File No. 701.6211/360a

The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador ( Bernstorff )

No. 1686]

Excellency: Confirming my conversation with you on December 1, I have the honor to state that various facts and circumstances having come to the knowledge of the Government of the United States as to the connection of Captain Boy-Ed, naval attaché, and Captain von Papen, military attaché, of the Imperial German Embassy, with the illegal and questionable acts of certain persons within the United States, the President reached the conviction that the continued presence of these gentlemen as attaches of the Embassy would no longer serve the purpose of their mission, and would be unacceptable to this Government.

The President, therefore, directed me to notify your excellency, as I did orally, that Captain Boy-Ed and Captain Von Papen are no longer acceptable to the Government of the United States as attaches of His Imperial Majesty’s Embassy at Washington, and to request that your excellency’s Government withdraw them immediately from their official connection with the Imperial German Embassy.

As I informed you at the time of our interview, the Government of the United States deeply regrets that this action has become necessary and believes that the Imperial Government will realize that this Government has, in view of all the circumstances, no alternative course consistent with the interests of the two Governments in their relations with each other.

Accept [etc.]

Robert Lansing