300.115(39)/153: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10 p.m.]
2076. My 2066, November 16, 4 p.m. A member of the Embassy called by appointment this afternoon on Ambassador Ritter at the Foreign Office who is charged with decision so far as that Ministry is concerned on the release of ships and cargoes of wood pulp now detained by the German authorities. Ritter announced that on the basis of evidence submitted through the Department of State to the American Consul at Hamburg as to the American consumption of the cargoes the following eight vessels would be immediately released: Karin Thorden, Petsamo, Asturias, Koura, Hulda Thorden, Greta, Keila and Aagot.
If these eight vessels arrive and discharge their cargo in the United States then further ships will be released provided similar evidence as to the destination of their cargoes is furnished through the State Department. If it transpires that cargoes covered by such documentary evidence are diverted to enemy countries then a new procedure will have to be devised. The captains of the released ships have been directed to report to the nearest German Consulate in the United States which will thereupon inform the German Government by cable of the arrival of the vessels. Ritter said that the Foreign Office would have preferred to have had a direct assurance from the United States Government that cargoes consigned to the United States would not be diverted to enemy use but he admitted that the United States Government had no direct power to give assurances concerning the movements of alien vessels. As regards the legal inability of the United States to guarantee against the reexport of Scandinavian wood pulp this was not important since it would be impracticable [Page 842] on the ground of expense for England to import Scandinavian pulp via the United States. Ritter asserted that it was the sincere desire of the German Government not to interfere with the normal import trade of the United States and very clearly indicated that the release of the ships was motivated by a desire not to interfere with American import trade and not because of German concern for the preservation of Scandinavian exports to countries other than Germany. He asked the American Government to believe that the delay in releasing these vessels was entirely due to the fact that several ships fully provided with papers from both the exporting and importing countries showing the neutral destination of the cargo had as soon as released by the German naval authorities proceeded directly to England or France and in one case the documents had been legalized by a German Consul. He said that some thought had been given by the Foreign Office to adopting a procedure which he understood was now being practiced by the French Government of demanding that the neutral vessel give a bond of five times the value of the cargo subject to forfeiture if the cargo reached Germany but he said the Foreign Office was against burdening neutral trade with any such requirement although if it were determined that the present documentary assurances could not be depended on the Reich might be compelled to introduce some such procedure.
In conclusion Ritter repeated the suggestion that similar evidence to that furnished in the case of the Pulp Sales Corporation be provided whereupon the other cargoes would be released provided the “experiment” with the eight vessels now freed was successful i. e. that their cargoes were not diverted to enemy countries.
Repeated to Helsinki and American Consulate General Hamburg.