124.60D/69: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 19—8:55 a.m.]
589. Swiss Minister12 informed me this morning that Finnish official circles are obsessed by thought that American Legation is center of extensive espionage activity in Finland.13 He said that during conversation recently with German Minister Von Blücher latter told him quite openly that this was the case and that departure of American Legation might be expected shortly would be correspondingly welcome from Germans point of view. Egger said this feeling of German Minister had undoubtedly been constantly imparted to Witting with whom Von Blücher is on terms of intimate friendship and must thus have spread through higher ranges of Finnish Government. Egger added that particular anxiety was felt here as to possible espionage activities of Mrs. McClintock who he said is described as “the beautiful Creole” and whose visits to Stockholm from time to time have been subject of anxious comment in this relation. Mrs. McClintock’s trips to Stockholm have of course been innocuous and have been undertaken either with her child during periods of air activity here or with her husband on courier trips. Finnish credulity in this matter is measure of characteristic provincialism.