File No. 656.119/337

The Minister in the Netherlands ( Garrett) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

2284. Last night the Burgomaster of Rotterdam was instructed by the Minister of Agriculture to inform the Committee for Relief in Belgium that their shipments of overseas products to the occupied territories would not be allowed to leave Rotterdam and that if such [Page 1456] shipments were attempted he was authorized to seize the Relief’s stocks under the distribution law.

The French and Belgian Ministers saw the Prime Minister this morning and he agreed to give orders to permit the export of supplies now on land but told them that all arrivals from now on would be held.

This threat is greatly to be regretted and must react on Holland in the future, but we should not let it influence us adversely—we are much too big and right for that.

I believe the situation which is very delicate and adverse to us will be eased up and even turned in our favor if you can see your way to announce immediately that two Dutch ships may leave New York with grain for Holland as suggested in my 2276, April 6, 6 p.m. Conditions here are really critical; the people are suffering already and are demonstrating. There have been ugly crowds in several towns in the last few days.

Garrett