File No. 861.48/204
The Ambassador in Germany (Gerard) to the Secretary of State
No. 3934
Berlin,
August 30, 1916
.
[Received September
11.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit
herewith, for the Department’s information, copy and translation of
a note received from the Imperial Foreign Office, dated August 25,
1916, relative to the subject of supplies for the relief of the
population in the occupied territories, which is in reply to a note
from the British Government, dated July 26 last,1 forwarded to me by the
Embassy in London in its telegram No. 831, of July 27.
I am to-day transmitting a copy of this note to the Embassy in
London.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The German Foreign
Office to the American
Embassy
Nr. II-U-3627/148040
Note Verbale
The Foreign Office has the honor to inform the Embassy of the
United States of America, with reference to the esteemed note verbale dated 29th ultimo, Foreign
Office No. 11492, that the British declaration transmitted in
that note, relative to the subject of supplies for the relief of
the population in the occupied territories, makes a discussion
impossible, owing to the wording and the substance.
As regards the relief of the occupied territories in the East,
the Imperial Government has repeatedly stated that a relief
action on the part of the neutral countries, especially of the
United States of America, in favor of the civil population would
be gratefully accepted, and that provision would be made to
reserve the imported foodstuffs wholly to the civil population
of the occupied districts, and particularly that they would not
be seized for the benefit either of the German Army or of the
German civil population. In accordance with this assurance,
England can no longer claim the right to prevent the importation
of food supplies into such territories. It would be infringing
the principles of international law if England, in spite of the
guarantees offered, would seize foodstuffs intended for the
civil population of the occupied territories by a neutral party
and shipped there on neutral ships.
As the Government of the United States has continually endeavored
to alleviate the distress of the inhabitants of Poland in a most
laudable manner, it must be left to its consideration whether it
will allow Great Britain to foil the realization of the grand
relief work of the American Relief Commission by its measures
conflicting with the law of nations.
As before, the Imperial Government would in the interest of the
inhabitants of the occupied districts appreciate it if the
American Government should succeed in realizing the unselfish
relief work, in spite of the threatened violation of
international law on the part of England.
However, should these efforts fail, Germany would not be to blame
if the inhabitants of the occupied territory would have to bear
the full burden of war.
Berlin
,
August 25, 1916
.
