File No. 701.6311/228
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Austria-Hungary (Penfield)
1417. Your 1524, November 11. I concur in your presentation of matter to Baron Macchio. All that the United States desires to accomplish by assuming control of all wireless stations is to prevent the use of its territory as a basis of naval operations. It is in duty bound to take this position on account of its contentions in the Alabama Claims Arbitration and the award of that tribunal, which approved those contentions. The American position at that time has now become generally regarded as a rule of international law and fully recognized in the Hague conventions, which were signed and ratified by Austria-Hungary. The constant presence of warships of the Allied powers off American coasts since the beginning of the war and the recent appearance of a German submarine off the New England coast have demonstrated the necessity for Government censorship of wireless messages in order to prevent messages being sent which might be intercepted by such belligerent vessels and used in their hostile operations, making American territory in a real sense a basis of naval operations.
As to communication by cable, this Government of course can give no assurances whatever, inasmuch as the cable lines in use in communicating with Vienna touch the coasts of Austria’s enemies.
Although this Government is very desirous of receiving an ambassador from Austria-Hungary, and is anxious to make every concession possible in order to encourage the most complete and cordial diplomatic relations with the Austrian Government, I am sure Baron Macchio will appreciate the inability of this Government to modify a traditional principle of neutrality which it initiated half a century ago and has since maintained during several intervening wars—the application of which principle in the Government control of wireless stations during the present war has been more than justified by the presence of war vessels of both groups of belligerents off American coasts.
Explain to Baron Macchio that I have given this matter sympathetic consideration, and regret to be impelled to this conclusion, as my earnest wish is to strengthen the friendship which has always existed between our Governments and peoples. I should be disappointed if adherence to a principle which both Governments have recognized and enforced should cause this friendship now to fail of free and unstinted expression through the lack of an ambassador from Austria of Count Tarnowski’s high qualifications for such a mission.