File No. 763.72112/2744
The Acting Secretary of State to the Swedish Minister (Ekengren)
My Dear Mr. Minister: I enclose a copy of the note sent by this Government to the British Government on the subject of the black list.1
Please accept my very sincere apologies for the delay in answering your letter of the 21st, received here July 25. By a very stupid mistake, the letter was sent to the Trade Adviser’s office and for some unknown reason held by him until to-day. I have taken steps to see that nothing of this kind occurs again.
I am only too glad at any time to save you a trip to Washington, as this is no place to be in weather like this. Further, on the subject of the black list I may say that we have taken up a number of individual cases, and while there has been no admission of a mistake on the part of the British authorities, we have been able to secure some modifications. In all of these cases we state distinctly that we in no way waive the principle in taking up particular cases.
Again with many apologies, believe me [etc.]