UNDERGROUND DIPLOMACY
Meantime, Count von Bernstorff and Dr. Dumba were seeking by diplomatic means to effect a stoppage of the flow of war equipment to the Allies. Each addressed appeals to the Secretary of State and each presented notes from his respective Government protesting against the shipment of munitions as unneutral. Their protests were unavailing and the answers of the Secretary of State were so clear and determined that it became clear to the Teutonic agents that their efforts along such a channel would be without success. Dr. Dumba ascribes the failure of Congress to shut off the export of munitions and the decision of the Administration against the Teutonic Powers, to the President, for in one of his letters to Burian he said in August, 1915:
“As last autumn, he (President Wilson) can always, through his personal influence, either force the House of Representatives to take his point of view against their better judgment, or, on the other hand, in the Senate can overthrow the resolution already voted in favour of prohibiting the export of guns and munitions. In these circumstances any attempt to persuade individual States to vote parallel resolutions through their legislative bodies would offer no advantages apart from the internal difficulties which the execution of this plan presents.”
With that letter Dr. Dumba enclosed a memorandum adroitly suggesting the use of England’s seizure of ships as a means of inciting Americans to support embargo legislation.
“President Wilson” (he wrote) “will not hear of Congress laying an embargo, for the reason, as he clearly explains, that to do so would be unneutral. The result of this is to stultify all attempts at agitation based on embargo. This is a matter entirely in President Wilson’s hands. It is, of course, always possible that, despite the President’s declaration, a resolution might be laid before Congress contemplating the prohibition of the export of munitions as a measure of reprisal against England for her illegal seizure of American ships; but we should indulge in no illusions as to the success likely to attend such an enterprise.”