Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917, Supplement 1, The World War

File No. 341.622a/292a

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page)

[Telegram]

Washington, February 8, 1917, 3 p.m.

4417. Over five weeks have elapsed since the presentation to the Foreign Office of Department’s 4520, December 1, 1916,¹ on the Ausable and other cases, without any indication as to the attitude of the British Government. Is not the time now opportune to make the proposal of arbitration mentioned in my instruction? I dislike to believe that the British Government would hesitate to adjust cases so similar as these are to the Trent case.

Lansing

1. Foreign Relations, 1916, Supplement, pp. 667–678.