File No. 701.6311/255
The Ambassador in Austria-Hungary (Penfield) to the Secretary of State
No. 2230
Vienna,
November 24, 1916
.
[Received December
26.]
Sir: Adverting to my despatch No. 22102 of the 20th instant, I
now have the honor to transmit, herewith enclosed a copy, with
translation, of a note from the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs under date of the 22d instant, in, reply to mine of the 17th by
which I conveyed your decision relative to the desire of the Minister
for Foreign Affairs to obtain such a relaxation of the governmental
control of the radiotelegraph as would enable him to communicate in
confidential cipher with the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador at
Washington.
It will be seen that, while expressing regret at the conclusion arrived
at, the Government’s decision is accepted as final, and it is proposed
to deposit a code book with the Department to be employed
[Page 807]
in compliance with the
regulations in force, a copy of which is stated to be contained in the
sealed package addressed to the Austro-Hungarian Embassy at Washington
which accompanies this despatch. As stated in my despatch, I offered to
forward their cipher book in the pouch in order to insure its not
falling into enemy hands during transmission.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure--Translation]
The Austro-Hungarian Minister of Foreign
Affairs (Burian) to
the American Ambassador (Penfield)
No. 115.503/2
Vienna,
November 22, 1916
.
The undersigned has noted with regret that according to the esteemed
note No. 10176 of November 17, 1916, the Government of the United
States of America has declared its inability to agree to a normal
radiotelegraphic cipher communication between the undersigned and
the newly appointed Imperial and Royal Ambassador in Washington.
In view of the excellent relations, however, existing between
Austria-Hungary and the United States, and considering the
explanations contained in the very esteemed note above mentioned,
the undersigned will here not further pursue his verbally expressed
desire with regard to rendering such a normal communication
possible.
Since the Government of the United States of America, as stated in
the above reply, desires to do its utmost to facilitate diplomatic
intercourse with Austria-Hungary in keeping with the present
circumstances, the undersigned accepts the verbally made proposal of
the Government of the United States of America, according to which
the Imperial and Royal Austro-Hungarian Ambassador will be in
radiotelegraphic communication with his Government by means of a
cipher code deposited at the Department of State in Washington.
The undersigned begs to transmit enclosed the said code, addressed to
the Imperial and Royal Ambassador in Washington, with the request
that it be forwarded to Washington by courier at an opportune
moment, so that it may there be handed to the new Ambassador for
further action.
The undersigned simultaneously makes use of this opportunity to renew
[etc.]
For the Minister:
Macchio
