File No. 763.72111/806
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Treasury (McAdoo)
Washington, November 28, 1914.
[Telegram]
Your letter November 25.2 From reports at hand, Department deems it unnecessary for collectors to report upon vessels clearing [Page 642] with cargoes manifestly of, no use to war vessels, such as cotton, grain, fertilizers, barbed wire, etc. Also where the consignors are several and the consignees numerous; it is not necessary to report on vessels, unless there is a single consignment composing the main part of the cargo, for the reason, that the Department cannot ascertain from American consuls whether all the consignees expect the consignments. Otherwise Department desires information on the seven points indicated in the collector’s letter, regardless of the suspicious character of transaction. Of course the crux of the investigation is to ascertain whether cargoes are to be supplied to war vessels at sea.
- Not printed.↩