The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Spring Rice)

No. 1227

Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of June 22, enclosing a copy of a circular issued by Mrs. Henry, G. Beyer, of South Portland, Maine, in which it is stated that the Citizens’ Committee for Food Shipments are planning to send, on July 4, a cargo of condensed milk to Germany, Austria, and Poland, and that the Department of State has agreed to give clearance papers.

In reply I have the honor to inform you that, while this Government believes that a cargo of condensed milk is entitled under international law to unmolested shipment to the Central countries of Europe for the use of the civil population, the Department of State [Page 965] has not approved or disapproved the shipment of the particular cargo in question.

I have [etc.]

Robert Lansing