763.72119/2800a

The Secretary of State to the Swiss Minister ( Sulzer )

No. 290

Sir: I should be gratified if you would be good enough to convey [Page 18] the following communication to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the German Government:

“The Government of the United States has received the radio messages addressed to the President of the United States by the German Government, relative to relief from certain requirements imposed in the armistice with the Ottoman Government and the armistice with the German Government.3

“The communications which have been received will be forthwith communicated to the other Governments with which the Government of the United States is associated and also to the Supreme War Council in Paris.

“The Government of the United States takes this opportunity to suggest to the German Government that communications of this nature, which pertain to the terms of the armistice or to matters in which all the Associated Governments are interested, should be sent to all the Governments and not addressed alone to the President or Government of the United States.

“The Government of the United States also desires to call the attention of the German Government to the fact that these communications should be presented through established diplomatic channels rather than by direct radio communication”.

Accept [etc.]

Robert Lansing
  1. Several German radio communications on these subjects are quoted in the document infra.