File No. 865.74/2
The Secretary of State to the Italian Ambassador ( Macchi di Cellere )
Excellency: This Department, in conjunction with the Navy Department, has given attentive consideration to the draft protocol which you submitted with your note of the 16th ultimo for conclusion between the United States and Italy, to regulate radiotelegraphic communications between the two countries. As a result of that consideration I have the honor to suggest for acceptance by your Government two changes in the draft submitted, as follows:
- (1)
- Paragraph 2 of the draft provides that “The United States and the Italian Governments acquiesce in setting apart one Italian and one American wireless station of sufficient power to insure radio communications between the two countries.” It is suggested that the words “setting apart” be stricken out and substituted by the word “designating.” This amendment is proposed for the reason that the words “setting apart” might be construed as an obligation upon the United States to use the one station referred to in the paragraph for the Italian service alone and for no other service. In the opinion of the Secretary of the Navy, in which I share, it would be inadvisable for the Government of the United States so to commit itself, since in case the cables to Europe should be cut and it should thereby become necessary to handle all communications to and from Europe by radio, it would be necessary to distribute the urgent official messages for Europe between the several radio stations operated by the Navy Department and have these messages transmitted in the order of their urgency; and it is quite conceivable that a situation might arise which would be highly embarrassing as well as detrimental to the efficiency of communication with Europe if one of the several radio stations controlled by the Navy Department was permanently set apart for communication with Italy alone and could not be used to transmit messages either to France or Great Britain.
- (2)
- It is suggested by the Navy Department that the last sentence in paragraph 3 of the submitted draft reading: “Therefore the United States and the Italian Governments, considering that there is no other direct system of communication between the two countries, will insure transmission by priority over all others of their official [Page 846] urgent messages,” be stricken out and that there be substituted therefor the following: “Therefore the United States and the Italian Governments, considering that there is no other direct system of communication between the two countries, will insure transmission by priority over all other messages between the two countries, of their official urgent messages.”
This substitution is proposed for the reason that as paragraph 3, as submitted by your Government, stands, it is capable of being interpreted to mean that it provides for an absolute priority in handling Italian official messages over all others. In view of the presence of an American Army in France, communication with France is of the utmost importance, and this Government could not therefore feel justified in engaging itself to any agreement which would give priority to messages to and from Italy over messages to and from France. Since it may happen, should all cables to Europe be cut, that communication with France, as well as with England, would be of greater importance than communication with Italy, it is the view of both the Navy Department and the Department of State that the possibility that cables to Europe may be cut at any time, in which event the radio telegraphic service would be called upon to handle all official messages, naval, military and diplomatic, should be kept in view in the negotiation by the United States of any international agreement having in view radio communication with any of the Allied countries of Europe.
I am requested by the Acting Secretary of the Navy to assure you of the Navy Department’s wish that the suggested changes in the proposed protocol should not be construed as discouraging or objecting to direct radiotelegraphic service with Italy. As a matter of fact, as Your Excellency is aware, such direct radio communication with Italy has already been arranged by the Navy Department, and official messages are being exchanged daily through this service in an expeditious and satisfactory manner. The Navy Department is pleased to be able to provide for this service but, as stated above, the possible future needs of the radiotelegraphic service with the other Allied countries in Europe must be kept in view.
Accept [etc.]