763.72/12937b
The Assistant Secretary of State ( Phillips ) to the French Ambassador ( Jusserand )
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: In reply to your inquiry as to what steps this Government would take on the action of The Netherlands Government in permitting German troops to cross Dutch territory, I beg to inform you that the Secretary of State has cabled to the American Chargé d’Affaires at The Hague7 to advise the Minister of Foreign Affairs that while in the opinion of the United States a violation of neutrality has occurred, the United States is not disposed in the circumstances to raise objection thereto at the present [Page 26] time on the understanding that this attitude of the United States is not to be regarded as a precedent, or as an admission of the rightfulness of the action of The Netherlands Government.
I am [etc.]
- Telegram not printed.↩