File No. 861.48/591
The Chargé in Denmark ( Grant-Smith) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11.16 p.m.]
2280. Your 856, May 3, 3 p.m.2 I consider the sending of relief remittances to Lithuania and the other portions of Russia under German occupation as contrary to the interests of the Allied cause and the benefits accruing from the Polish relief to be greatly exaggerated. Every dollar relieves, by just so much, Germany’s task of maintaining quiet in those regions which she hopes to render productive as soon as possible and leaves her freer to pursue her designs throughout the other portions of Russia where she is busied in acquiring a preponderant influence both politically and financially, which it will eventually be found most difficult to combat. Nothing should be left undone to interfere with the realization of these plans. Furthermore, the Germans can be counted on to cause any amelioration of the condition of the people succored to be attributed to the beneficence of their administration.
[Page 531]I am strongly of the opinion that Germany’s enemies have but slight appreciation of the degree to which their humanitarian sentiments have been deliberately exploited to her lasting advantage since the very outbreak of the war.
- See the preceding footnote.↩