File No. 763.72114/2799
The Assistant Secretary of State ( Phillips) to the Ambassador in Spain ( Willard)
Sir: The Department will be glad to have you extend such assistance as may be necessary to Mr. Charles P. Howland, deputy commissioner [Page 8] of the American Red Cross, who is about to proceed to Europe to set into operation a system for the supply of food and clothing to American prisoners in German camps, and also, if the permission of the British and French Governments shall have been secured, for the supply of food to some 250,000 Russians and 150,000 Servian prisoners of war.
In order to make it certain that there is adequate supervision of distribution and proper inspection of camps where American prisoners are confined, the Red Cross has suggested the advisability of Mr. Howland’s securing, through your own good offices and in cooperation with the Spanish Foreign Office, the services of three or more competent and energetic Spaniards, who would be men of ability and some of them at least competent food experts, and who would act as special attachés of the Spanish Embassy in Berlin, with the especial duties of supervising this work in the interests of the Government of the United States. Their salaries, which would be as high as $5,000 per annum if necessary, would be reimbursed to the Spanish Government by this Government. The Red Cross further desires Mr. Howland to secure other suitable persons to be sent to the countries of the Central Powers as agents of the American Red Cross, their salaries to be assumed by the American Red Cross, to act as camp inspectors and advisors and as food experts under the general direction of the attachés to be employed as suggested above.
In bringing to your notice these suggestions of the Red Cross, it is not the Department’s intention to instruct you to take any steps which could in any way be resented by the Spanish Government or which might imply a lack of confidence on the part of this Government in the present personnel of the Spanish Embassy in Berlin and its corps of camp inspectors. The Department would, however, be glad to have you discuss the matter informally with the Foreign Office, approaching the subject from the point of view that this Government wishes to avoid increasing the already heavy task of the present personnel of the Spanish Embassy and for that reason suggests that the employment of these extra camp inspectors might be desirable, in anticipation of the addition of American prisoners to the many prisoners of other nationalities, whose interests are now under the Spanish Embassy’s charge. The step should in no case be taken until the Spanish Ambassador in Berlin had been consulted and his approval obtained, preferably by wire.
Should you receive the impression in your conversation at the Foreign Office that the Spanish Government would resent any initiative on the part of the Red Cross in this matter, you will inform Mr. Howland accordingly and advise him that the entire question of camp inspectors must be left with the Spanish Government to arrange as it thinks best. On the other hand, should the approval [Page 9] of both the Foreign Office and the Spanish Ambassador at Berlin be obtained, you may, in cooperation with Mr. Howland, engage, or request the Spanish Foreign Office to engage, the services of three competent Spaniards for the purpose mentioned, at salaries of not more than $5,000 per annum, and you may further informally assist Mr. Howland in finding a number of Red Cross agents, with the understanding that they also would be sent to Germany only with the express approval of the Spanish Ambassador at Berlin.
The Department desires to leave this whole matter to your good discretion, as it is one which must be approached with delicacy, and authorizes you to take such steps as in your judgment appear proper and advisable, after consulting with Mr. Howland on his arrival.
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