File No. 763.72112Sa/47
The Chargé in France ( Bliss ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 25, 11.59 p.m.]
4870. War Trade Board [from McFadden]:
No. 364. Your No. 260.1 French Blockade [Ministry] are today advised by their London representative that British Blockade Ministry, acting upon its own initiative and without consultation with French Blockade Ministry, on August 22, instructed their diplomatic representatives in neutral capitals to personally communicate by conversation [Page 1101] the views of the British Blockade Ministry in connection with German safe conducts as expressed by the declarations of the Associated Governments. In consequence thereof, the French Blockade Ministry are today also instructing their diplomatic representatives in neutral countries as follows:
- (1)
- Their Minister in Sweden will be instructed to cooperate with his colleagues in connection with a note to be prepared by the diplomatic representatives of the Associated Governments in Stockholm, same to represent the reply of the Associated Governments to the notes received from Swedish Foreign Office in connection with German safe conducts.
- (2)
- The French diplomatic representatives elsewhere will be instructed to cooperate with their colleagues in neutral capitals and communicate by conversation to the proper authorities of the neutral governments the views and procedure to be taken in connection therewith as regards German safe conducts as expressed by declaration of the Associated Governments.
The Blockade [Ministry] are of the opinion that the delivery of a joint note by the Associated Governments in the neutral capitals, except in the case of Sweden, would be unwise and dangerous for the reasons: (1) copy of same would probably be obtained by diplomatic representatives of the German Government; (2) it would then be the purpose of the German Government if possible to misinterpret and confuse the purposes and objects of the Associated Governments in connection therewith; (3) furthermore, it is felt that it is unwise to commit the Associated Governments in writing to any particular policy or procedure in connection therewith, and consequently the Blockade Ministry prefer at the present time that the policy shall be communicated by conversation rather than in writing. McFadden.
- Not printed.↩