File No. 711.5914/80
Minister Egan to the Secretary of State
Copenhagen, August 7, 1916, 3 p.m.
287. Your 143, August 5, 2 p.m. It is evident that our Government was not responsible for publicity. For months rumors of the sale, approximate amount mentioned, were current in financial circles here. Any clever newspaper man could have picked them up. The article in the paper called Kjobenhaven of July 9 forced denials from the Minister of Finance, Brandes. The first publicity we heard was from a French paper. It was not foregoing publicity but the denials of the announcement in Kjobenhaven that is used by press against the Government here.