File No. 763.72112Sa/80d
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Great Britain ( Laughlin )
8518. For Sheldon [from War Trade Board]:
No. 745. Recent modifications of German prize regulations relating to safe conducts and indicating an assumption to control neutral shipping throughout the world require careful consideration. Referring to Norway, the German Government is apparently demanding bond that the ship will return to Norway, list of passengers and crew, and assurance that return cargo is exclusively for Norway and will not be reexported. Referring to Sweden, we are informed that the German Government will grant safe-conduct letters to Swedish steamers carrying non-contraband cargoes under the general agreement between Sweden and the Associated Governments and also to those ships proceeding to oversea countries outside the war zone; that Swedish authorities have requested permission to carry these letters in such cases as vessels chartered for Belgian relief, to which British have agreed. Referring to Denmark, we are informed of a suggestion that safe conducts would be delivered to ships chartered solely for carrying food supplies for Denmark and that all other Danish ships would be sunk. Referring to Holland, we are informed that Germany is not now granting safe conducts to Dutch vessels in other than Scandinavian trade, until similar vessels leave an oversea port, nor to vessels calling at enemy ports carrying contraband, even though destined for neutral countries, unless there are assurances that the contraband will not be unloaded in enemy ports, nor until passengers, crew, and cargo lists have been approved by the German Legation. Referring to Spain, we are informed that the Germans are to demand the carriage of safe conducts by Spanish vessels and that the French Ambassador has lodged a protest with the Spanish Government. Referring to Switzerland, an agreement of April 24 provides that safe conducts will be granted to both neutral and enemy vessels carrying necessities of life for Switzerland, provided the conditions of the agreement are complied with.
Please carefully study this question and keep us advised of all developments therein; also informally ascertain and advise us of the attitude of British Government towards general problem of control of neutral shipping raised by new German policy and their views as to whether, and, if so, how we can assist neutrals to resist such German control. We feel that the Associated Governments should give careful consideration [with a view] to adoption of uniform attitude on this subject. We are sending a similar cable to McFadden.