File No. 763.72112/3186
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 5, 8.15 a. m.]
5264. Your 4074, November 23, 5 p. m. Following note received from Foreign Office dated December 2:
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note No. 1279 of November 24 in regard to the despatch of units by the American Red Cross to enemy countries.
On November 4 I instructed Sir Cecil Spring Rice to convey to the United States Government and the American Red Cross the consent of His Majesty’s Government to supplies being sent to Austria-Hungary for the use of two units of the American Physicians’ Expeditions Committee which have been taken over by the Red Cross.
On November 16 I answered a further application for the establishment of additional units at Philippopolis and in Germany. I pointed out to Sir Cecil Spring Rice the deplorable condition of the British prisoners in Turkey, which constitutes an offence at once against international law, the ordinary rules of comity between belligerent nations, and the dictates of humanity, and I inquired whether in these circumstances the American Red Cross would be prepared to send a unit to Asia Minor to undertake the medical care of these prisoners and the proper control of clothing sent to them from British territory. I indicated the impossibility of regarding the promise made in my memorandum of July 27 as not in any way dependent on a proper fulfilment by enemy governments of [Page 959] their duties and responsibilities. I am awaiting with anxiety a reply from the American Red Cross as to whether they will be prepared to respond to the appeal made to them by His Majesty’s Government to undertake a work of humanity in Asia Minor which is most urgently needed and which could not fail to earn the cordial gratitude of the British people.
As I understand it, the only point at issue between His Majesty’s Government and the Government of the United States is whether His Majesty’s Government have in principle bound themselves to give practically unlimited facilities for the work of American Red Cross units in enemy countries, while our enemies themselves are treating British prisoners of war, not to speak of the populations of the territories occupied by their armies, in a way which constitutes a scandal to civilization. I have no wish to enter upon a theoretical discussion of that point, though I cannot but regret that the insinuation should have been made that His Majesty’s Government are unmindful of their promises. So far as His Majesty’s Government are concerned, the point of immediate importance is whether the American Red Cross will come to the assistance of the British prisoners in Asia Minor.
I have also instructed Sir Cecil Spring Rice to indicate that at the present moment, when the Allied Governments are being constantly approached by American citizens for permission for the passage of supplies to Palestine and Syria, projects which His Majesty’s Government are given to understand have the active support of the Government of the United States, it would greatly facilitate the proper treatment of all such questions if the Government of the United States could see their way to put forward more comprehensive proposals under which British prisoners may receive no less consideration than is accorded to the Syrian and Jewish populations in the Near East.