File No. 763.72114/409

The Ambassador in Russia (Marye) to the Secretary of State

No. 103]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s telegram No. 243, of the 15th instant,4 directing the Embassy to bring to the attention of the Russian Foreign Office that the Austro-Hungarian Government desires to make an agreement with the Russian Government for the inspection of prisoners’ camps, similar to the plan agreed upon between the German and the British Governments.

The substance of this telegram was transmitted to the Russian Foreign Office, and I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of its reply.

Copies of this reply have been sent direct to the American Embassy in Vienna for transmission to the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Office.

I have [etc.]

For the Ambassador:
Charles S. Wilson

Secretary of Embassy
[Enclosure—Translation]

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the American Embassy

No. 3166/D II]

Replying to the note of 4/17 March, 1915, the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the honor to inform the Embassy of the United States of America, on the question of the condition of Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war in Russia, [Page 1018] that as the Imperial Ministry has already informed the Embassy in its note of February 7, 1915, No. 1645, the Imperial Government has no objection to the Embassy’s representative visiting the camps of said prisoners in Russia.

As regards the distribution of subsidies to these prisoners, the Imperial Ministry has to say that, as already stated in previous correspondence, the Government regrets that it cannot agree to a direct distribution of subsidies to the prisoners by any one except the military authorities.

In this way all contributions and gifts, addressed to Austrian prisoners in care of the special distributing committee at the Russian Red Cross Society, are forwarded to the addressees, as are also all gifts collected by the Russian committee caring for the needs of Slav prisoners of war, the latter category receiving considerable assistance from the said committee.

In conclusion the Imperial Ministry has the honor to transmit to the Embassy a copy of the existing regulations concerning prisoners of war in Russia, with the request that it may be forwarded to the Austro-Hungarian Government in reply to their request for data concerning the condition of military prisoners in Russia. Should the Imperial Government issue any new regulations of a general nature concerning the condition of prisoners of war, the Imperial Ministry will not fail to forward a copy to the Embassy.

  1. Ante, p. 1012.