862.4016/1523
Memorandum by the Secretary of State
During his call and after talking with me on another subject, the German Ambassador50 said in a very mild tone that if we now could stabilize disagreeable conditions involving crimination and recrimination—evidently referring to American condemnation of reported German outrages against Jews, Catholics and others,—it would contribute very much towards better understanding and more friendly relations between the two countries. I promptly replied that this Government would need real help before it could accomplish much in quieting explosive actions and utterances in this country in that respect and that that help would have to come from Germany. I proceeded to say that so long as the apparently authentic press reports out of Germany, contained the frightful stories about outrageous conduct towards Jews, Catholics and others in Germany, as had been occurring, it would not be possible to influence violent actions and utterances in [Page 405] this country condemnatory of such reported occurrences in Germany. I said that I was not passing on the truth or falsity of the reports but was undertaking to make plain to the Ambassador, and to his Government through him, that so long as these wild reports, purporting to give accounts of every imaginable act of cruelty and oppression against the Jews, Catholics and others, continued to come out of Germany and to be published in the press of this country, virtually nothing could be done here to compose public feeling and stop rash public utterances and actions; that I would be only too glad if the German Government would cooperate with this Government in the manner just suggested to the end that these reports would cease. The Ambassador well understood that I meant such acts of the German Government as would discontinue the different acts of oppression which are being daily published to the world.
The Ambassador frankly stated to me that he went back home primarily to make clear to Chancellor Hitler and other German Government officials the conditions in this country in this respect. While he did not expressly say so, I clearly inferred that he strove to make his Government understand there was no remedy for the violent state of public sentiment in this country so long as the reports out of Germany continued, and that therefore the Ambassador should not be expected to make successful representations in that connection. He emphasized that the German officials understand very fully and in detail the policies and the viewpoints of this Government and this country.
I reminded the Ambassador that ours were the freest people of the world in most respects; that all nationalities and religions and languages were well represented in this country and that the freedom of the press, of speech and religion were very fully availed of at all times and for almost all purposes, and that of course other nations could scarcely appreciate, at least at all fully, the customs, habits, and utterances common to this country under its institutions.
- Hans Luther.↩