File No. 763.72112/3838

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Sweden ( Morris )2

[Circular telegram]

To facilitate the enforcement of the law authorizing the President to prohibit exports except under license and prevent trade with the enemy, you will instruct all consular officers in Sweden [Page 883] to forward immediately to the Department all information already on file and use their utmost endeavor to procure and forward from this time on all additional information with respect (1) to persons or firms of enemy nationality or association or activity; (2) persons or firms which are acting directly or indirectly in enemy interests; (3) indications that American goods are reaching unfriendly consignees or passing through neutral countries into enemy hands. Information deemed of immediate importance should be telegraphed while other information should be sent by mail in usual manner. Also instruct consular officers to offer assistance to their British colleagues in respect to these matters.

American diplomatic and consular officers will cooperate fully on basis of reciprocity with officers of British, French, Italian, and other Governments opposed to Germany, exchanging information and furnishing them copies of reports and affidavits if they so desire in relation to war matters.

Diplomatic and consular officers will continue to report promptly military and political information of interest to the Department and consuls will perform conventional consular services without regard to British black list.

Diplomatic officers will investigate all concerns on British and French statutory lists, consulting evidence in possession of Allied colleagues and cable preliminary digest and send full details by mail.

Lansing
  1. The same, mutatis mutandis, on the same date, to the diplomatic representatives in the other neutral countries.