Office of the Historian

File No. 514.2A2a/82.

The Swiss Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]
Legation of Switzerland,
Washington, May 10, 1911.

Mr. Secretary of State: Referring to this legation’s note of July 29, 1910, and its accompaniments, relative to the use of the Red Crescent by Turkey as the emblem and badge of the sanitary service [Page 735] of its armies in derogation of article 18 of the Geneva Convention of July 6, 1906, I have the honor to inform you that the Imperial Russian Government has addressed to the Swiss Legation at St. Petersburg the following reply to the aforesaid communication:

In reply to the note dated July 9/22, 1910, regarding the inquiries made by Imperial and Royal Government of Austria-Hungary about the adhesion of Turkey to the Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Sick and Wounded of Armies in the Field, concluded at Geneva June 23/July 6, 1906, I have the honor to inform you that the delegates of the Imperial Government to the second peace conference having assented to the use by Turkey of the Red Crescent as the badge of the sanitary service of its armies in maritime warfare, the Imperial Government sees no objection to the granting of the same power to the Ottoman Government in the case of war on land.

I hasten to add that in the opinion of the Imperial Government the following conditions should be placed upon the right granted to Turkey to use the Red Crescent:

1.
Scrupulously to respect the emblem of the Red Cross in accordance with the stipulations of the Geneva Convention.
2.
To use the emblem of the Red Crescent in time of peace as well as in war for the exclusive purpose of designating the personnel and material under the protection of the convention; and
3.
To prohibit by law the use of the emblem of the Red Cross, as well as that of the Red Crescent, for commercial or industrial purposes.

The Imperial Government finally believes that it would be desirable to secure for the Red Crescent the same protection in the countries, parties to the Geneva Convention, as it extended to the Red Cross.

Be pleased to accept, etc.,

P. Ritter.