File No. 840.48/374
The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State
Paris, undated.
[Received August 22, 1914, 6:50 a.m.]
[Telegram]
To-day informally presented to French Government subject of using German passenger steamers to repatriate Americans. French Government do not in principle object to utilization of German ships. They feel, however, that plan of sailing under American flag and officers impracticable. They state they could agree to give pass for definite voyage of such steamers to convey American passengers to American ports where they would again be tied up but that such pass would not be good in French ports where German officers could make observations. They think only feasible way to utilize German ships is to send them to neutral ports, Spanish or Italian, as they anticipate demonstrations in French ports which they could not control. There would also be difficulty of booking and handling passage money, etc. A report was made to-day by the transportation committee here to the effect that, with the transportation already obtained and that in sight, all demands could be met in the near future. After thorough discussion of the whole question it was unanimously agreed by the committee, of which more than 20 percent were present, to adopt the report of the transportation committee. To-day the Foreign Minister told me that he thought on Monday he could assure me of two more ships. If there should be any demonstration or general criticism on the part of the French public in case German ships were employed, I am inclined to think it would deter Americans from sailing thereon. Under all the circumstances I feel that if utilization of German ships could be avoided without very much inconvenience to our people, at least so far as France is concerned, it would be most desirable.