362.1113/8: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 15—12:25 p.m.]
144. My 141, September 8, 3 p.m. I, yesterday, had long talk with the Foreign Minister who realized that if assaults on Americans continued our Government might have to publish a statement warning American citizens not to visit Germany and that nothing could be more damaging to Germany. He said that he had spoken to Goering and Hitler about this in the last few days. The former had vowed that he would use all his influence to prevent the recurrence of such incidents; the Chancellor while agreeing that such incidents must cease did not, I gathered, express himself as forcefully as Goering.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs asserted that he would do his best to prevent further incidents but he neither gave any promises as to punishment being meted out in connection with past attacks on Americans nor even assurances that a real effort would be made to apprehend the culprits.
I further took up the questions of disturbance of economic relations by unwise German acts (citing by way of example the recently attempted discrimination in favor of German shipping interests)45 and of the German anti-Jewish policy. The Foreign Minister agreed with me as to the unwisdom of German action in both respects. He asserted that the influence of the Foreign Office was being exerted to attenuate the ruthlessness of the anti-Jewish policy. However, here again no definite assurance other than as to his own attitude was given.
Upon leaving I observed that Germany could never recover except through a long period of international peace. The Foreign Minister in expressing his agreement declared that in the forthcoming Geneva discussions the German representatives would make no move that could furnish any pretext for foreign intervention.
Will you please show this telegram to the President if you perceive no objection.