340.1115a/731: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Heath) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:12 p.m.]
1550. My 1537, May 27, 7 p.m. The following is an advance copy of a communiqué handed me this afternoon at the Foreign Office with the statement that it would subsequently be released to the press.
“The Government of the United States of America has officially informed the governments of the belligerent countries through its Embassies that the American steamer President Roosevelt left New York for Galway in Ireland on May 24th in order to fetch American citizens from Europe. The American Government expressed the expectation that the unarmed ship, which is not travelling in convoy is lighted at night and is specially marked as an American vessel, will not be molested by the forces of the belligerent powers.
[Page 113][“]The Reich Government thereupon informed the American Embassy in Berlin as follows: vessels which cautioned their voyagers in the manner announced by the American Government are in accordance with the principles of German conduct of the war not exposed to any danger from German forces. In view of the fact that this American ship will travel through war zones otherwise avoided by American ships the German Government has informed its forces of the steamer’s intended voyage and issued strict orders that it may carry out its voyage without any hindrance. Moreover there are no German forces on the route being taken by the steamer on its outward and return voyage.
“Any danger to the American ship from the German side is therefore out of the question.
“Beyond this in every particular the Reich Government drew the attention of the American Embassy to reports which have already found their way into the press and which are in accord with certain information which has reached the Reich Government according to which an attack on the President Roosevelt is being planned and prepared by the governments of the countries which are at war with Germany ‘in view of the fact that the enemies of Germany have already attempted for transparent motives to interfere with German-American relations by attacks on steamers with American passengers and laying the blame therefore on Germany the Reich Government has drawn the attention of the United States to these reports.’ In this connection it expressed the expectation that the American Government which itself has the greatest interest in preserving the lives of its citizens will accordingly for its part likewise do everything to avoid a disturbance of German-American relations and take suitable measures to thwart such criminal plans of Germany’s adversaries.”