File No. 763.72/2632
The Ambassador in Germany ( Gerard ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 27, 8.10 a. m.]
3805. Your 2927.1 It occurs to me you might think Von Jagow meant all ships. Although he used word “ships” only, he plainly meant and I understood him to refer only to freight ships. Of course he was speaking informally and indefinitely. In my conversations with Von Jagow we speak English, a language he apparently speaks well, but says himself that his vocabulary is limited. My last conversation with Chancellor was in German, conversation before that in English, and sometimes Chancellor speaks French, and sometimes he speaks German and I English. Of course I have to speak in language he desires. I recall that Von Jagow also said that sinking merchant ships without notice in war zone was their answer to England’s illegal blockade of Germany.