File No. 341.622a/296

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

[Telegram]

4485. Your 5761, February 26. Please telegraph me your views as to advisability of presenting arbitration proposal now or waiting until after receipt of British note. The point of Department’s contention [Page 528] in its mail instruction No. 4520, December 1, is that persons are not lawfully subject to seizure from American ships on the high seas regardless of whether they are in the military service of an enemy of Great Britain. Further discussion of the facts in each case, therefore, would seem to be beside the question involved, which appears to be an entirely proper one for arbitration.

Lansing