File No. 763.72114/3904
The Secretary of State to the Swedish Minister ( Ekengren)
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Minister of Sweden, in charge of Austro-Hungarian interests in the United States., and has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of his? memorandum of August 8, 1918,1 enclosing a copy of a night letter addressed to the Swedish Legation by the Committee of Austro-Hungarian Internes at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., concerning the arrest, internment, and treatment of women.
In reply the Secretary of State begs to inform the Minister of Sweden that the various points in regard to this matter which [Page 196] were emphasized in the night letter have received the careful consideration of the competent authorities and a report thereon has been received.
With reference to the first suggestion that in case of each order for the arrest of a female alien enemy this should be accompanied with a request for considerate treatment, the Minister of Sweden is advised that this has always been the practice of the authorities.
In so far as it is possible the second suggestion is always followed; namely, that when a woman alien enemy is arrested this is done in the presence of or preferably by women temperamentally adapted to perform such duties.
Before the arrest of female alien enemies adequate time is given to them to prepare their personal belongings for removal and themselves and their children for prolonged detention. There are, however, certain cases wherein the circumstances are such that the arrest must be done expeditiously, but even in these cases proper steps are taken to accomplish in so far as is feasible the results covered by this third suggestion.
Women after arrest are not left in the custody of men, if this can be avoided, and the established practice of the authorities has been to see that this objection is avoided except in extraordinary cases.
The practice of the authorities also concurs exactly with the fifth suggestion; namely, that female alien enemies should not be detained in jails or witness rooms. Care is taken to see that this practice is not transgressed.
With reference to the sixth suggestion to the effect that the women when arrested should not be separated from their minor children, the Secretary of State begs to inform the Minister of Sweden that he has been informed that no arrests have as yet been made where such children were concerned. However, if such cases do arise, it will undoubtedly be arranged so that the minor children need not be separated from their mothers or from their female relatives when the latter are arrested.
In so far as there is no objection thereto in a particular case, the husbands or near relatives of female alien enemies are always informed of the arrest of the latter at the earliest possible moment.
Relative to the final suggestion that husbands, wives and their children should be interned jointly in adequate housekeeping quarters, the Secretary of State begs to inform the Minister of Sweden that it has been the established policy of the authorities to intern the men and women separately, this being deemed desirable for a number of reasons and especially as each individual case is determined separately. As has been stated above, the matter of minor children has not as yet arisen, but when it does arise, it will be carefully considered and a practice adopted which will be satisfactory.
[Page 197]The statement contained in the last sentence of the night letter to the effect that the camp in question appears to be dangerous in case of fire, has been brought to the attention of the proper authorities and will be thoroughly investigated.
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