763.72111 Em 1/1
The Secretary of State to President Wilson
My Dear Mr. President: I am sending for your judgment a rather important communication to the German Ambassador.7
You will notice in the papers enclosed a translation of the note received from the German Embassy8 in which they admit the right of belligerents to buy arms, ammunition, etc., in this country, but complain of the inquiries which we make in regard to ships carrying coal to war vessels.
Mr. Lansing and I have gone over this very carefully and you will notice first that we call attention to the recognition of the right [Page 116] of belligerents to buy our arms. (See the last sentence on the first page.10)
In the next place we call attention to the distinction between the rules applicable to the purchase of ammunition and the rules applicable to ships carrying coal.
We also take occasion to assert that these principles have been enforced by this nation with impartiality.
We are wondering whether it might not be well, in view of the criticism we have received, to ask the German Embassy to permit us to give to the public their protest and our answer. It will meet the criticism which has been directed against us by some who seem to be ignorant of the rules of international law.
Please let me know whether you have any changes to suggest in the phraseology, and also whether it is worth while to try to secure publication.
With assurances [etc.]
- Foreign Relations, 1914, Supp., p. 647.↩
- See note from the German Ambassador, Dec. 15, 1914, ibid., p. 646.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1914, supp., p. 647, last sentence.↩