File No. 811.712/17
The Austro-Hungarian Ambassador (Dumba) to the Secretary of State
Washington, August 7, 1914.
Dear Mr. Secretary of State: I beg to call your earnest attention to the great inconvenience, nay, heavy losses and trouble, resulting from the fact that, owing to the war, no cabling nor direct mail shipping is now possible between the United States on the one side [Page 532] and Austria-Hungary and Germany on the other. The mail addressed to these countries, if given to English liners, remains in England and never reaches its destination. At the same time all American citizens left in Germany and my country are unable to communicate with their relations or friends here even by letter. You know yourself what deplorable hardship follows from this predicament.
Therefore, I believe that it is only fair that all letters going to Germany and Austria-Hungary and addressed “via Rotterdam” ought to be intrusted to the Dutch liners, now that Holland neutrality is officially proclaimed.
Trusting that the postmaster will at once give such instructions, I remain [etc.]