File No. 763.72112/1438

The Swedish Minister (Ekengren) to the Secretary of State

My Dear Mr. Secretary: I beg to express my thanks for your letter of the 26th instant.1

Several days ago I received a message from the Minister for Foreign Affairs wherein it was stated that the Royal Government and the British delegation found it impossible to agree on certain points, because the latter made requirements that the former considered to be of such a nature that sovereign dignity and true neutrality forbade meeting. In the same message I was requested to find out whether it might be possible to effectuate cooperation with the American Government in making representations to England in the matter of neutral rights.

Knowing that the policy of the American Government had right along been to avoid joint action, I instructed Miss Hendrickson, as the telegram came while she was in Washington, to try to find out how the State Department would look upon cooperation to the extent of uniform action, so far as such might be practicable.

I am gratified to learn from your letter that you are prepared to discuss the possibilities for uniform action. So far, the main issues between my Government and the English have been that the latter proposes to limit the importation of certain American goods. Prima facie this point concerns Sweden only. In fact it concerns America equally, as I see it. The effect would be to limit American export to Sweden and to limit Swedish import from America. I am not in a position to at this time quote just how many articles (or what kind they are) that would be involved, but I hope to furnish information in that respect soon. I have requested a more definite outline.

I shall be glad to learn how you look at the question of limited export to Sweden.

Very sincerely yours,

W. A. F. Ekengren
  1. Ante, p. 486.