File No. 811.711/407a
The Secretary of State to the Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Washington
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to their Excellencies and Messieurs, the chiefs of diplomatic missions at Washington, and adverting to the 4th and 5th paragraphs of the memorandum of the Secretary of State dated January 5, 1918, begs to invite attention to the enclosed copy of a circular instruction which has been sent to the American Embassies, Legations and Consulates abroad.1
Since it is obviously impossible for the heads of missions to prevent irresponsible outsiders from addressing to them communications enclosing clandestine letters designed to evade the United States censorship regulations, it is respectfully suggested that any irregular communications of this nature be transmitted to the Department of State for appropriate disposition.
- Not printed.↩