The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Russia (Francis)
Sir: The Department acknowledges the receipt of your despatch No. 118, of June 26, 1916, relative to the action of the economic conference of the Entente powers held in Paris June 20 to 23 [14 to 17?] last, in which you say that you have taken up the subject with M. Sazonov.
The Department requests that it be kept informed of the attitude; of the Russian officials in regard to any results which may develop from the conference. While the Department can not believe that it is the intention of any one of the Entente Governments to exclude the commerce of the United States from its territories, to hamper or restrict the trade with this country, it obviously must rely upon its representatives to furnish it with all reliable information which may indicate the trend of public opinion abroad towards the policies suggested by the conference.
The Department has no specific instructions to give at the present time in regard to this matter.
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