File No. 811.711/165a
The Secretary of State to the Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Washington
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to their Excellencies and Messieurs, heads of diplomatic missions at Washington, and has the honor to inform them that the following regulations governing the censorship of mails entering and leaving the United States have been put into force.
- 1.
- Uncensored correspondence is permitted between embassies and legations and their respective governments, when under official seal.
- 2.
- Uncensored correspondence is permitted between embassies and legations in the United States and embassies and legations of the same power situated in other countries, when under official seal. The same applies to similar official correspondence in transit through the United States.
- 3.
- Although consular officials have no claim as such to uncensored use of the mails, this use will be granted out of courtesy and uncensored correspondence will be permitted between them and their governments, when under official seal. The extension of the privilege of exemption to consular officials shall be strictly confined to consuls de carrière.
- 4.
- Private letters addressed to chiefs of mission in the United States will not be subject to censorship.
- 5.
- No private correspondence whatsoever of individuals or firms shall be forwarded to or from diplomatic or consular officers under official cover or seal. Personal correspondence of diplomatic and consular officials shall not contain letters forwarded in behalf of third persons.
Owing to the necessities of the military situation the Government of the United States is compelled to request the different governments interested to give written guarantee in this regard.
Washington
,
January 5, 1918
.