File No. 763.72114a/175
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland ( Stovall)
2995. For Garrett:
Your 7, September 17, 12 a.m.1 American National Red Cross has never been notified to the German Government as an authorized relief society of this Government.2
American Embassy, Madrid, has today been instructed by cable3 to notify through the proper channels to the German Government and to the Austro-Hungarian Government the following organizations as authorized relief societies of the United States Government during the continuance of the war: American National Red Cross; Young Men’s Christian Association; National Catholic War Council, with the Knights of Columbus operating under it; Jewish Welfare Board; and Salvation Army.
This is in accordance with the desires of the War Department.
- Not printed.↩
- On Sept. 7, 1917, the following telegram was sent to the American Ambassador in Spain: “Please request the Spanish Government to make known to the Imperial German Government, under the provisions of art. 10 of the Geneva convention of 1906, that the American Red Cross is the volunteer aid society authorized by the President of the United States to render assistance, under the responsibility of the United States of America, in the official sanitary service of the armed forces of the United States.” (File No. 811.142/2364c.)↩
- No. 1599; not printed.↩