File No. 763.72112/1386½
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11.15 p. m.]
1668. Your 1140, February 16, 3 p. m.1 I have delivered to Sir Edward Grey Bernstorff’s note and the substance of your instructions. A frank and full canvass of the whole situation by the Prime Minister, Sir Edward Grey, House, and me at noon luncheon to-day brought out the possibility that the British Government may propose to the German Government in answer to Bernstorff’s note that it will not put food on absolute contraband list if Germany will sow no more mines and will attack no more commercial ships by submarines. But this is not yet certain and must not be made known. The greatest hindrance to an acceptance of the proposition is the offensive language in the last sentence of Bernstorff’s note.
Meantime I ask your consideration of the following and advice thereon:
- 1.
- Is our Government prepared to undertake the distribution of food to non-combatants throughout Germany so as to make sure that it will all be consumed by non-combatants? It requires a large number of men to do this for the commission in Belgium and if we can undertake this service, would it be an unneutral act by our Government?
- 2.
- Bernstorff’s last sentence about neutrals “compelling” the British Government may prevent any agreement. If it does prevent an agreement, I hesitate, without your definite instructions, so to endorse Bernstorff’s position as to make it appear that we are trying to “compel” the British Government. I am rather offering our good offices towards an agreement and informing Grey that making food absolute contraband would greatly embarrass our commercial interests and our Government and help towards an adverse turn of public opinion. I hesitate to seem to endorse “compelling” him.