Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1916, Supplement, The World War

File No. 763.72/2937

The Minister in Norway (Schmedeman) to the Secretary of State

No. 271

Christiania, September 26, 1916 .
[Received October 13.]

Sir: Pursuant to my despatch No. 262 of the 12th instant¹ informing the Department that a meeting of Scandinavian ministers would be held on the 19th instant, I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy and translation of the official communiqué of the meeting handed to me by the Royal Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs, and to report the following:

The conference lasted for three days and was held at the Royal Palace, the Swedish and Danish Ministers being the guests of the King.

As the Department has already been informed, the principal object of the calling of the meeting was to give renewed expression to the desire of the three Scandinavian countries to maintain a loyal and impartial neutrality, which was confirmed accordingly. At the same time it was established that entire agreement existed between the three countries regarding the necessary measures to be taken for the preservation of their neutrality, in accordance with the provisions of the Hague convention.

Special importance was attached to a wider collaboration regarding the commercial policy of the three countries, in view of the difficulties caused by the actions of the belligerents.

The paragraph of the communiqué dealing with the destruction and the holding up of vessels and cargoes and the issuance of black lists has called forth a great deal of adverse comment on the part of the Allied representatives here. This I have gathered from personal conversation with the different ministers; some of them even state that the communiqué is not a true expression of Norwegian and Danish sentiment, but rather the result of Swedish influence. This was confirmed in the reports quoted in the Norwegian press from the French papers, but, so far, no comments on the part of the other Allies have been quoted in the press here. On the other hand, the Scandinavian press, as a whole, expresses itself very favorably regarding the wording of the communiqué.

It will perhaps be interesting to the Department to learn that, previous to the holding of the meeting, reports were current in the Norwegian press to the effect that the question would be discussed of the calling of a conference of the neutral nations to consider the question of mediation in the present war. Referring to the paragraph in the communiqué dealing with memoranda addressed to the meeting on this subject, the Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me confidentially that the British and French Ministers at Christiania had intimated to him that the calling of a conference of neutral nations to discuss the question of mediation at this time would be displeasing to the Allied Governments.

Mr. Ihlen further informed me, confidentially, that the question was considered of inviting the neutral European nations and the United States to a conference for the purpose of discussing economic and other questions of mutual interest, but that, as all the European countries are not represented in Christiania and are all represented in Stockholm, it was deemed advisable to authorize the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs to take up the matter verbally with the representatives of the different neutral nations.

I have [etc.]

A. G. Schmedeman

[Enclosure—Translation]

Official communiqué regarding the conference of Scandinavian Ministers at Christiania, September 19–22, 1916

The conference discussed, in accordance with the program presented by the Norwegian delegation, different questions of a joint interest in connection with their rights and duties as neutrals. With regard to the questions which were considered at the conference and the decisions which were taken, the following communications may already be made public:

The three countries agree to maintain a loyal and impartial neutrality during the present war.

The violations of the rights and interests of the neutrals on the part of the belligerent powers, as well as the difficulties of a political commercial nature Which have been occasioned thereby for the neutrals, have been subjected to careful examination which resulted in an agreement to establish a wider collaboration between the three countries. Special attention has been given to the destruction or to the holding up of neutral vessels and cargoes as well as to the results produced by the “black lists” published by the belligerent powers.

As a consequence, it has been agreed that, in order to facilitate the commercial policy of the three countries, they should inform each other mutually, either through their Governments or through the competent authorities, of the measures taken in the respective countries as regards this policy as well as for the suppression of commercial espionage.

In order to maintain their interests as to their commercial policy after the war it was agreed that it is necessary to take preparatory measures in the three countries by the mutual collaboration of their competent authorities.

Another matter which came under consideration during the conference was that of the attitude which the Scandinavian countries should adopt relative to certain questions concerning the duty of neutral states to make provisions for the preservation of their neutrality. It was found that entire agreement existed in regard to this question, based on the provisions of the Hague convention.

With reference to various memoranda addressed to the conference, it was decided, in view of existing circumstances, to state that the Governments of the three countries consider it out of the question that they, either alone or conjointly with other neutral governments, should take the initiative in view of mediation between the belligerent powers, or other similar measures. On the other hand, the desirability was recorded of the establishment of a closer collaboration between as many neutral states as possible, for the purpose of protecting their joint interests while observing the strictest impartiality.

Convinced of the importance of the collaboration of the Scandinavian countries, both at the present time and in the future, the ministers of the three countries separated on the understanding that further meetings between the representatives of the respective countries should take place whenever the circumstances rendered it necessary or desirable.

1. Not printed.