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  4. Document 352

File No. 300.115/5223

The Ambassador in Germany ( Gerard ) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]
Berlin , September 10, 1915, noon.
[Received September 15, 4.20 p. m.]

2887. Your 2017. Following reported by Consul, Magdeburg:

Upon the following conditions the German authorities will permit exportation to the United States of up to 80,000 hundredweight of sugar-beet seed:

1.
Must be consigned to Department of Agriculture, Washington, to be distributed to sugar companies only on condition that seed will be used by themselves and not be reexported.
2.
Foodstuffs, wheat, cotton, lard, fats, or any other product needed in Germany to be previously imported into Germany. Current market quotations in the United States to determine valuation of such products, the value of which goods must reach at least three and one half million marks for the 80,000 hundredweight seed.
3.
If the American Government secure guarantee that the shipment will proceed undisturbed, seed may be shipped from Rotterdam to New York.

In addition Germany would not favor buying all or major part of 80,000 hundredweight from a single German seller.

I suggest that the bags be sent from America on account of the new ruling here that cotton bags leaving Germany must be returned or a large bond forfeited.

Donegan

Gerard