File No. 657.119/115
The Minister in Norway ( Schmedeman) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 3, 1.35 a.m.]
367. My telegram No. 356, October 23, 5 p.m.,1 regarding alleged failure of the Norwegian Government to receive the American note of July 242 until October 19. The Minister for Foreign Affairs in open session of the Storthing yesterday explained the reasons for the delay in a long speech. The speech was occasioned by accusations in the press against him for having kept the country in ignorance of the contents of the note, which it is alleged foreshadowed a serious situation for Norway, and for the Government having failed in consequence to take necessary measures to provide against this contingency. The Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that communications from the Norwegian Minister at Washington led him to presume that the note was not important and that no reference was made to it in despatches and telegrams from Washington either from the Norwegian Minister or the Norwegian commission before the receipt of a copy at the Foreign Office on October 19. The Minister for Foreign Affairs gave a summary of the note and it was unanimously decided to discuss his speech at a later session of the Storthing. Immediately after making it he sent for me and requested me to inform you that he was extremely sorry that the note had not been properly handled and that he hoped the unfortunate occurrence would not affect the existing good relations between the United States and Norway as the delay had been quite unintentional on his part; he seemed to be extremely disturbed about the whole matter and I believe that momentary situation created by this incident is particularly propitious for securing cooperation of the Norwegian Government with regard to embargo against the enemy. He said that he had requested Minister Bryn to obtain permission of the United States Government to publish the note in its entirety, that Bryn had replied that the United States Government was willing that this should be done, but that the Norwegian commission advised that only a summary of it be published. It is apparent that whatever may have been the cause or possibly the motive of the delay the Minister for Foreign Affairs is endeavoring to lay the responsibility on the Norwegian representatives in Washington. The matter has been reported fully in my despatches Nos. 542 and 5461 and a translation of the speech to the Storthing is being mailed.1