File No. 763.72114A/245
The Minister in Switzerland ( Stovall) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 16, 12.35 p.m.]
17. [From Garrett]:
In the matter of civil prisoners, Germans’ original offer called for release and repatriation at their wish of all civilian prisoners, including personnel of merchant marine, and agreement to abandon internment in the future, substituting domiciliary supervision. This we declined with a counter-offer to give interned civilians freedom from forced labor and all guarantees of treatment afforded by the agreement, and to exchange merchant marine, head for head and rank for rank. They replied with proposal to repatriate upon their wish the following civil prisoners, with [without] regard to number: (1) women and children; (2) men under 17 or over 45 years; (3) men between 17 and 45, if invalid; (4) ministers and doctors.
We contemplate offering to repatriate, upon their individual wish, women and children, males under 14 and over 45, and hopeless invalids, reserving the right to detain individuals designated by either party, and on condition that Germany provides ocean transportation for those returning from the United States. We would add a [Page 98] further condition: that in no case should more Germans be permitted to leave America than Germans [Americans] are permitted to leave Germany until all Americans in Germany desiring to leave have been afforded that opportunity. Would like to have views of your Department and Attorney General on this question. Garrett.