U.S. Coast Guard Oral History Program
Telephone conversation between Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Sec. of Treasury, and Commander E.G. Rose, USCG
Date: June 6, 1939
Time: 3:59 PM
HMJr: Hello.
Operator: Commander Rose, acting in Admiral Waesche's place.
HMJr: All right. Hello.
E.G. Rose: Hello. Commander Rose, sir.
HMJr: Oh yes, Commander Rose, this is the Secretary speaking.
R: Yes, sir.
HMJr. I've seen in the papers that out of Fort Lauderdale you've been
trailing the German ship, the St. Louis.
R: Yes, sir.
HMJr: Do you know where she is located now?
R: I haven't seen anything on it today, but I believe the first was off
Miami and the vessel turned back from trailing her somewhere
down toward Key West.
HMJr: Well, I'd like to know, if you can find out where she is, hello?
R: Yes, sir.
HMJr: I don't-I want you to treat it confidentially. See, so that nothing
gets out that I'm interested.
R: I see.
HMJr: But I-spoke to Mr. Hull about it and I understand they can't locate
the boat, you see.
R: All right, sir.
HMJr: Now, I'd like-if you can handle this mission confidentially send a-
a radio both to Fort Lauderdale and Miami, would you? I suppose
you work out of St. Petersburg?
R: No, St. Petersburg, Key West, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale.
HMJr: Yeah, but-but handle the thing so there will be no kick-back and
no publicity on it.
R: I see. Well, we can send it in a tight code and safeguard it, I'm quite
sure.
HMJr: Yes, and see if they can locate the St. Louis.
R: All right, sir. And would you like to be notified.....
HMJr: Yes.
R: ......when the mission comes in or will.......
HMJr: Yes, I want to be notified right away.
R: All right, sir. I'll take care of it.
HMJr: And if I'm out-at the dinner tonight, let McKay get word to me when I get back.
R: All right, sir.
HMJr: But handle it so that there's no comeback on it, please.
R: All right, sir. I'll take care of that.
HMJr: You can understand.
R: Yes, sir.
HMJr: Thank you. But I want-I want to locate it.
R: All right, sir; we'll do all that we can.
HMJr: Thank you.
R: All right, sir.