File No. 763.72114/59

The Ambassador in Germany ( Gerard ) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

718. Suggest that there should be an international agreement if possible as to just what each nation should give its prisoners of war, nature of food and clothing; for instance. British claim they give overcoats, suits, underclothes, socks, shoes, etc:, and three blankets to all prisoners, civil and military, while here I have had to buy clothes etc., for English prisoners and they have only two blankets, and our Ambassador, Paris, telegraphs Germans in French camps badly in need of clothes. Many Russians here, I am told by Spanish Ambassador, have no blankets. Authorities here have refused to allow me to give seven marks a week to civil prisoners to allow them to get extra food.

Gerard
[Page 753]

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Germany ( Gerard )

[Telegram]

572. Your 718. Department will be glad to submit any proposals that the German Government may care to make to other belligerents, looking to an arrangement as to what should be given prisoners of war in nature of food and clothing. Department can do nothing unless requested by the belligerents.

Lansing