763.72/2374½

The German Embassy to the Department of State

A 936

The Imperial German Embassy presents its compliments to the United States Department of State and has the honor to enclose herewith two wireless cipher messages in duplicate, to the Foreign Office in Berlin for kind transmission to the Tuckerton Radio Station.

Duplicate copies of the text of the messages are likewise enclosed.

[Enclosure 1—Telegram]

The German Ambassador (Bernstorff) to the German Foreign Office

No. 48. I have informed Mr. Lansing of contents of your wireless No. 29.17 He has not yet received reply from our enemies concerning his proposal to disarm merchant vessels. Mr. Lansing does not wish to give me copy of his note till he has received an answer which he expects will be refusal. Mr. Lansing reminded me of fact that from the beginning of controversy with us the American Government always spoke of unarmed merchant vessels (American note of May 13th 191518). As to objections of Mr. Lansing to the word “welcome” I refer to Baron Zwiedineks wireless No. 52.19

[File copy not signed]
[Enclosure 2—Telegram]

The Austro-Hungarian Chargé (Zwiedinek) to the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Office

No. 52. Reply to No. 31. For Baron Burian.

I have informed Mr. Lansing of contents of your radiogram concerning armed enemy merchant vessels. On this occasion Mr. Lansing called my attention to a misunderstanding created by the use of the word “welcome”. He did not wish to imply any initiative on his part and would not like this idea to prevail. Mr. Lansing, however, repeated that in his opinion there are certain reasons which might justify such a declaration on our part. Please acknowledge receipt of this wireless as Mr. Lansing wishes to know that his point of view is perfectly clear to my Government.

Zwiedinek