File No. 763.72/6382
The Minister in Denmark ( Egan ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9.20 p.m.]
1004. Newspapers here reported yesterday with Aftenposten at Christiania as their source that the Swedish Government has invited the Governments of the neutral countries in Europe—Denmark, Norway, Spain, Holland and Switzerland—to participate in a ministerial conference which is contemplated to take place at Stockholm. It would be the object of such a conference to discuss the position into which the neutral countries have been brought by America’s entry into the war.
Berlingske Tidende comments on this in part as follows:
It is a common fact in all these countries that the conditions are now worse and more severe than they have perhaps ever been. There will be enough subjects to discuss. Whether it will be of any avail, however, cannot be foreseen. The possibility exists, however, that a common earnest representation on the part of the neutrals setting forth the difficulties to which they are now subjected will find hearing and understanding.
In conversation to-day at Foreign Office it was stated that Stockholm conference was not called to discuss food control question but before continuation of the former conferences held by neutrals. Attention is called, however, to fact that former conferences were only between the Scandinavian countries.