File No. 656.119/94
The Minister in the Netherlands ( Garrett) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 10, 1917, 4.20 a.m.]
1742. There is evidently a desire in London that the permanent stoppage of transit from Germany to Belgium through Holland of all sand and gravel should be demanded by the United States as a condition precedent to granting rations to the Netherlands, releasing Dutch vessels and adopting general economic agreement with this country. Such a demand at the present time seems unnecessary.
The British attempt to force stoppage of this traffic by cutting off commercial cables has been complete failure so far and the view of their representatives here is that they have no further means of bringing pressure. … We should help them if possible in bringing about undertaking that this traffic cannot again be resumed as it was of serious consequence to the British and French troops and may be to our own. On the other hand we should be careful not to allow ourselves to be used in a way that would simply shift odium [Page 1154] on us without accomplishing our object. In the minds of most Dutch people America’s withholding food and detention of ships will quickly obliterate memory of temporary inconvenience of the British stoppage of commercial cables. The sand, gravel transit traffic stopped November 15 and it is expected to resume it about mid-March. The prohibition of commercial cables though slightly relaxed is still in force.
It would seem that what we, as well as the British, want might be accomplished more certainly if further pressure in this matter be not attempted until after we have come to an agreement as to rationing and use of ships. There is undoubtedly a belief here that the Dutch case in the transit matter is not a good one and that the traffic was wrong. Townley1 tells me that Loudon has asked the German Government’s permission to send three Dutch officers to investigate the use of gravel and sand in parts of occupied districts not previously visited by Dutch officers and where it is presumed the material is being used for war purposes. Germany has not yet answered. If this new investigation or its refusal gives the Dutch an excuse it is not impossible that they will find the strength and courage to refuse this transit next year. However, if no other satisfactory solution is found the British would have a much stronger weapon of coercion than they have yet used if, we having already agreed to rationing and release of ships, they could hold or threaten to hold up these ships at Halifax.
Above sent Embassy, London.
- Sir Walter B. Townley, British Minister to the Netherlands.↩