File No. 763.72/6540
The Minister in Sweden ( Morris ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 21, 5.30 a.m.]
652. Had long conference to-day with Admiral Lindman, Minister for Foreign Affairs. Lindman discussed at length Sweden’s position as regards imports from America. He stated that Sweden was in urgent need of certain articles which are absolute necessities but added that for economic reasons Sweden could never agree entirely [Page 1039] to discontinue exports to Germany. He pointed out however that during May and June only two thousand head of cattle were exported from Sweden to Germany.
Lindman … states that this year’s crops in Germany are good and that he even has hopes that there will be a surplus of grain as well as of mineral oil which can be exported to Sweden. I queried Lindman as to the proposed neutral conference at Stockholm, see my 620. He stated that it had nothing to do with the effect upon neutral countries of America’s entry into the war. That this conference had nothing to do with peace negotiations but that it was called to discuss the question of the rights and interests of neutral countries after the close of the war.