Paris Peace Conf. 763.72114/7
The Minister in Switzerland (
Stovall
) to the Commission to
Negotiate Peace
No. 33
Berne
, December
19, 1918.
Sirs: I have the honor to transmit herewith
for your information a copy and translation of a note from the Swiss
Political Department dated December 17, 1918, quoting a communication
received from the Austro-Hungarian Legation at Berne relative to the
critical situation
[Page 206]
in which
the Austro-Hungarian prisoners-of-war who have been detained in Siberia
and Turkestan now find themselves.
I beg to add that copies of the enclosed documents have been forwarded to
the Department of State for its information and such action as it may
deem advisable.
I am [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Swiss Political
Department to the American Legation
in Switzerland
Allg. D. O. Int. 1
The Swiss Political Department has just received from the
Austro-Hungarian Legation in Berne a note concerning the critical
situation in which the Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war held in
Siberia and Turkestan are likely to be.
The communication in question reads as follows:
“The deplorable situation of the prisoners of war in Siberia
and Turkestan is made worse by the fact that for a long
time, that is since the formation of the Czecho-Slovak
front, they have been deprived of all communication with
their families whose anguish concerning the fate of their
‘nearest and dearest’ in captivity is only increased by this
condition of affairs.
The Secretary of State of German Austria appeals, therefore,
to the feelings of humanity and justice of the governments
of France, the United States and Great Britain with the most
urgent request that these governments be so kind as to
arrange that these prisoners of war be placed once more in a
position to send to their families and to receive from them,
telegrams and postal cards.”
In requesting the Legation of the United States of America to be so
good as to convey the preceding information to its government the
Political Department takes the opportunity to renew its assurance of
the utmost respect, to the Legation.
Berne, December 17, 1918.
