File No. 811.142/1350
The Ambassador in Austria-Hungary (
Penfield
) to the Secretary of State
No. 1171
Vienna
,
January 13, 1916
.
[Received February
1.]
Sir: Referring to the Department’s
telegraphic instruction No. 1013 of the 8th instant [ultimo], I have
the honor to enclose herewith for your information a copy and
translation of a communication from the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs relative to the offer of assistance in Serbia made
by the American Red Cross.
The permission for Dr. Edward
Stuart, president of the Red Cross Mission for
Serbia, to return to that country was immediately telegraphed to
Sofia.
Doctor Stuart has since arrived
in Vienna, and has telegraphed the result of his interview with the
Austro-Hungarian authorities through this Embassy and the
Department.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Austro-Hungarian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the American Embassy
No. 72
Vienna
,
January 7, 1916
.
In reply to the notes verbales of the 14th
and 29th ultimo, Nos. 4218 and 4396, the Imperial and Royal
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the honor to inform the American
Embassy as follows:
In the interest of the suffering population of Serbia, the
Imperial and Royal Armee-Oberkommando warmly welcomes the offer
of the American Red Cross and will support the intended
assistance as far as the conditions in connection with the
centralization of affairs in Serbian territory now occupied will
permit.
The Armee-Oberkommando remarks, in general, that the direction
and superintendence of the efforts in question will be put into
the hands of the Imperial and Royal Government General in
Belgrade, and that therefore it would be advisable for the
competent officers of the American Red Cross to procure definite
information from the Government General in regard to the actual
needs, and instructions relative to the organization for
distribution. In this connection it would also be necessary to
decide upon the officers to be sent out by the American Red
Cross in agreement with the Government General, since the
Imperial and Royal Military Administration must be reassured
that this relief movement will not be taken advantage of by
certain elements in the [Page 916] country itself for activity prejudicial to the quiet and
safety of the occupied territory.
So far as concerns the request of the president of the Red Cross
Mission for Serbia, Mr. Edward
Stuart, to be permitted to return to Serbia via
Sofia, there is absolutely no objection to this. Mr. Stuart may at once proceed to
Belgrade, where he will receive further permission from the
Government General to travel through the country.
