File No. 763.72112/1618
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Page)
2388. Your 2861, September 25. Great hardship is done to American importers due to their inability to obtain goods under running contracts. Department informed that the obligation of these contracts can be and is being enforced and that American importers are just as much obligated to pay for goods up to the minimum which they are required to order under these contracts as if goods were ordered under determinate contracts. Unofficially and without recognizing British order in council of March 11, 1915, bring this information attention British Foreign Office in endeavor obtain reconsideration of this matter so that cases of goods of German [Page 242] and Austrian origin ordered under contracts of this class may be submitted to British Embassy at this Capital through unofficial representation of foreign trade adviser of this Department.