injury to the cities of Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Lille therefrom, I called on the mayor of Roubaix Monday morning, October 5, 1914, and made the following suggestion: That a delegation from the three cities be sent to the commanders of the opposing armies and try to bring about an agreement between them not to fire on these cities, or to enter or occupy them, while fighting was going on in the neighborhood. I offered to accompany the delegation. The mayor and his cabinet considered the suggestion and informed me the same afternoon that they approved of it, and it was arranged to lay the matter before the prefect of the department. Accordingly the mayor and myself called on the prefect at Lille the next day, October 6, 1914. The prefect thought that the plan was not feasible, but requested me to represent to the German commander that there was a large trade between the United States and these cities, as he thought that such a statement would have great weight in influencing him not to injure these cities. This I offered to do, if the French authorities would find out where the German headquarters were and provide an automobile for the trip. On Friday morning October 9, 1914, the automobile was sent to the consulate and took me to the German headquarters. I informed the German general that the United States had a large trade with Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Lille which it was interested in preserving, and I hoped that these cities would not be injured. The general answered that he had no desire to harm these cities but claimed an indemnity on account of having been fired upon by civilians in Lille on October 4. The result of our conversation was that the general drew up a provisional agreement by which the French and German staffs agreed to eliminate these cities from the field of military operation, provided the cities would pay fifteen million francs to the German commander. I returned to Roubaix during the night and laid the offer before the prefect and the mayors of the several cities the next morning, October 10, 1914. The French officials decided that there would be time enough to arrange about an indemnity when the German Army appeared at their gates, and advised the consul not to take up the matter with the French General Staff, because it would not consider such a proposition. For these reasons, the consul took no further steps in this matter. I have [etc.] JOHN WATSON File No. 763.72116/107 The German Ambassador (Bernstorff) to the Secretary of State J. No. 10107] [Translation] GERMAN EMBASSY, Washington, December 5, 1914. [Received December 6.] MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: Referring to your excellency's kind note of the 30th ultimo,1 I have the honor to bring to your excellency's 'Not printed. 1 kind attention fresh violations of the Geneva convention as well as of Section II, Article 23 (e), of the Hague convention of July 29, 1899, by the British Government. The violation of those conventions consists in the use of dumdum bullets, proofs whereof are respectfully submitted in accompaniment. 1. The soft-nose cartridges" enclosed in original were given up by a wounded soldier of the 88th Connaught Rangers Regiment on his return from France. They were distributed to the above-named regiment mixed with regular infantry ammunition before the battle of Mons. (See also Enclosure 1.) The dumdum cartridges contained in the cartridge belt, enclosed in original, were, according to the description in Enclosure 2 distributed on August 8 to the Duke of Wellington's Infantry Corps Regiment. Both kinds of dumdum cartridges were manufactured by Eley Brothers of Gray's Inn Road, London. 2. It has come to the knowledge of the German Government that the British Government has ordered from the Winchester Repeating Arms Company 20,000 riot guns", Model 1897, and 50,000,000 "buckshot cartridges" for the same. The buckshot cartridge contains nine shots. The use of this weapon and ammunition is as yet unknown to civilized warfare. 3. The Union Metallic Cartridge Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, in October 20 took out through Frank O. Hoagland the enclosed patent for the manufacture of a "mushroom bullet." According to information the accuracy of which is not to be doubted, 8,000,000 of those cartridges have been delivered to Canada since October of this year by the Union Metallic Cartridge Company for the armament of the English Army. Cartridges made by that process, although cut through, cannot be distinguished by their external appearance from regular fulljacketed cartridges. The soldier in whose hands this kind of ammunition is placed by the British Government is not in position to know that he is firing dumdum bullets. Whether the use of the mushroom bullet is contrary to the law of nations remains to be considered. Even though there should be no intention to use the ammunition described under 2 and 3 on the theater of war in Europe, although such intention may be inferred from the magnitude of the order, it is very plain that the intention is to use it in the English colonies against the Boers, Hindoos, Turks, and Egyptians. Against this method of warfare, which sets every rule of international law at defiance, the Imperial Government raises its protest. It cannot be within the spirit of the neutrality repeatedly declared by the Government of the United States that American industry should supply the fighting forces of the Allies with arms and ammunition the use of which is contrary to international law and consti 1 Convention II. tutes a violation of the above-cited conventions to which the United States is a signatory party. Accept [etc.] J. BERNSTORFF P. S. The enclosed five photographs were forwarded to me by my Government. The wounds were all received in battles against English troops. File No. 763.72/1255 The Secretary of State to the Consul at Roubaix (Watson) No. 8.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 24, 1914. SIR Referring to your despatch No. 6 of October 17, 1914, in regard to negotiations to safeguard Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Lille, you are instructed to avoid intervention in these matters in future and observe the President's proclamation of neutrality. I am [etc.] For the Secretary of State: WILBUR J. CARR File No. 763.72116/107 The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador (Bernstorff) DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 6, 1915. EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 5th ultimo, calling attention to "fresh violations of the Geneva convention as well as to Section II, Article 23 (e) of the Hague convention of July 29, 1899, by the British Government," in the use of dumdum bullets. I can assure your excellency that I am not unmindful of the spirit in which you bring to the attention of this Government the improper practices which are alleged to have occurred in the conduct of the present war. But while this Government may take these statements and charges under consideration it is, in its effort to maintain a strict neutrality in the present conflict, obliged to refrain from investigating their truthfulness or making any comment in regard to them. The time will come, however, when the truth may be impartially determined, and when the judgment of the world will be passed upon the charges made by the various belligerents of violations of the rules of civilized warfare. Your excellency also states that the British Government have ordered from the Winchester Repeating Arms Company 20,000 "riot guns," Model 1897, and 50,000,000 "buckshot cartridges" for use in such guns. This Department saw a published statement of the Winchester Company, the correctness of which the company has confirmed to the Department by telegraph. In this statement the company categorically denies that it has received an order for such guns and cartridges from, or made any sales of such material to the British Government, or to any other government engaged in the present war. Your excellency further calls attention to "information, the accuracy of which is not to be doubted," that 8,000,000 cartridges fitted with "mushroom bullets" have been delivered since October of this year by the Union Metallic Cartridge Company for the armament of the English Army. In reply I have the honor to refer to the letter of December 10, 1914,1 of the Remington Arms-Union Metallic Cartridge Company of New York to your excellency, called forth by certain newspaper reports of statements alleged to have been made by you in regard to the sales by that company of soft-nose bullets. From this letter, a copy of which was sent to this Department by the company, it appears that instead of 8,000,000 cartridges having been sold, only a little over 117,000 were manufactured and 109,000 were sold. The letter further asserts that these cartridges were made to supply a demand for a better sporting cartridge with a soft-nose bullet than had been manufactured theretofore; and that such cartridges cannot be used in the military rifles of any foreign powers. The company adds that its statements can be substantiated and that it is ready to give you any evidence that you may require on these points. The Department is now in receipt from the company of a complete detailed list of the persons to whom these cartridges were sold. From this list it appears that the cartridges were sold to firms in lots of 20 to 2,000 and one lot each of 3,000, 4,000, 5,000. Of these only 960 cartridges went to British North America and 100 to British East Africa. If, however, you can furnish the Department with evidence that this or any other company is manufacturing and selling for the use of the contending armies in Europe cartridges whose use would contravene the Hague conventions, the Government would be glad to be furnished with this evidence, and the President directs me to inform you that, in case any American company is shown to be engaged in this traffic, he will use his influence to prevent so far as possible sales of such ammunition to the powers engaged in the European war, without regard to whether it is the duty of this Government upon legal or conventional grounds to take such action. In view of the publicity which has been given to your excellency's complaint addressed to the Department in these matters it is taken for granted that there can be no objection on your part to equal publicity being given to this note and the letter of the Union Metallic Cartridge Company addressed to you on December 10, 1914. Accept [etc.] W. J. BRYAN NEGOTIATIONS RELATING TO THE WORK OF BELGIAN RELIEF File No. 855.48/1 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State2 [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, 783. A Belgian committee has been formed at Brussels under the patronage of the American and Spanish Ministers there for the pur 1 Not printed. 2 Repeated to the Ambassador in Germany October 7, No. 356, with instructions to "take up informally with Foreign Office." pose of importing foodstuffs for the poor of Brussels who, I am informed, are faced with famine. The German authorities in occupation have consented and the Belgian Minister here informs me that under instructions from his Government he has obtained permission of the British authorities for the export of supplies on condition that they be despatched by this Embassy and consigned to our Legation at Brussels. If you authorize me to take this step I believe it would be well to obtain definite assurance from the German Government of their approval of this humanitarian project, the execution of which is in charge of an American citizen, Millard King Shaler, who is now in London purchasing supplies, and is strongly vouched for by Mr. Whitlock. AMERICAN AMBASSADOR The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Germany 1 (Gerard) [Telegram] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 17, 1914. 435. Department reminds you that it is awaiting the reply of the German Government to its request for information regarding admission of food into Brussels. You may say to the Foreign Office that for humanitarian reasons this Government would appreciate a prompt answer. LANSING File No. 855.48/5 The Ambassador in Germany (Gerard) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Berlin, October 17, 1914. [Received October 18, 1.40 p. m.] 541. The German Government approves of the plan to supply the population of Belgium with food. 1 GERARD See footnote to the above telegram of October 6 from the Ambassador in Great Britain. |