Office of the Historian

123 Dodd, William Edward/17: Telegram

The Chargé in Germany (Gordon) to the Acting Secretary of State

Berlin, June 28, 1933—2 p.m.
[Received June 28—11:25 a.m.]

111. Department’s 77, June 27, 3 p.m. Foreign Office insists that new envoys cannot be received at Neudeck as all facilities for their proper official reception are lacking there. I pointed out that the retiring British Ambassador is being received there tomorrow but the Foreign Office categorically takes the position that this is an informal farewell luncheon; that his letter of recall will not be presented; and that the occasion is in no way an official one.

Besides the two envoys mentioned in my telegram 108 of June 24, 1 p.m.,39 several others are expected to arrive in the near future so Foreign Office wishes to give further consideration as to just how to work out the second suggestion contained in your telegram under reference. The Foreign Office, however, is not clear as to exactly what you have in mind under the phrase “to transact business”. I must admit that I also am not certain as to the proper interpretation of this phrase especially after studying the Department’s unnumbered instruction of January 9, 1930 to Mr. Sackett which in the antepenultimate paragraph appears to set forth contradictory modes of procedure.40 If the Department could give me a fuller expression of its views it would be helpful as the Foreign Office informs me that it will communicate further with me tomorrow.

Gordon
  1. Not printed. The envoys are not identified in the telegram.↩
  2. This paragraph reads as follows: “Under existing practice an Ambassador or Minister is considered not to have assumed charge of his mission until the date upon which his credentials are actually presented, and in the interim any official communications should be signed by the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, such communications, of course, having the approval of the newly appointed envoy. It may happen, however, that the formal audience of reception is delayed, in which case the Minister for Foreign Affairs may arrange for the transaction of diplomatic business with the new representative pending such reception. In that event the official duties of the representative begin immediately.” (123 Sackett, Frederic M/11)↩