File No. 841.731/279
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 23, 8.30 a. m.]
1514. Your 1007, January 21, answered by my 1495, January 20. The censor endeavors to discriminate between telegrams concerning bona-fide neutral trade and telegrams that are suspected of promoting trade with enemy. The first class they pass. The latter class are stopped as a war measure. Since British own or control cables to Denmark they inform me that they would be within their rights if they stopped all telegrams or cut the cables as we did in our war with Spain. They disclaim, I think truly, any wish to hinder bona-fide neutral commerce but they are using every legitimate method within their power in prosecuting economic war as they are in prosecuting the naval and military campaign. There is no hope for material change in this matter for it is regarded by them as an integral and important part of their life and death struggle. Their cable lines they regard as one weapon and they [are] so using them.