File No. 763.72115/3380
The Swiss Chargé (
Oederlin) to the
Secretary of State
Department of German
Interests IX
The Chargé d’Affaires a. i. of Switzerland,
representing German interests in the United States, presents his
compliments to the Secretary of State and, pursuant to his memorandum
dated September 16, 1918,1 regarding the internment of German women in the
United States, has the honor to transmit to His Excellency copies of two
communications from the German Government transmitted by the Swiss
Foreign Office:
- (1)
-
Note verbale, dated August 31,
1918.
- (2)
-
Note verbale, dated August 12,
1918.
The Chargé d’Affaires a. i. will be happy to
communicate the reply of His Excellency to the Swiss Foreign Office, for
transmission to the German Government.
Washington
, September 30, 1918.
[Received October 1.]
[Enclosure 1—Translation]
The German Foreign
Office to the Swiss Legation at
Berlin
No. III–b–26346/121159
Note Verbale
The Foreign Office has the honor with reference to the Swiss
Legation’s notes verbales of April 27, May 2,
June 1, and July 12, marked A.XII Gen. 1/21436, A.XII Gen. 1/21715,
A.XII Gen. 1/23473 and A.XII Gen. 1/25563, to request that the Swiss
Legation at Washington be informed by telegraph that in Germany
neither men nor women of American citizenship are interned in a
general way.
The exceptions are merely 16 men whose action made it necessary to
intern them in a prisoner camp. Whether married women are to be
quartered together with their husbands in the same camp is a
question on which position need not be taken since in Germany
suspects only and not members of their families above suspicion are
interned.
In view of the German Government’s attitude toward American citizens
the Swiss Legation at Washington is requested to enter an emphatic
protest with the Government of the United States against internment
on such a scale as is contemplated in America.
[Page 201]
It should be pointed out to the
American Government that the compulsory internment above all of
German women in America against whom no charge can be brought is
wholly unjustifiable. This would particularly apply to German women
who should be interned on the only ground that their husbands are in
internment camps.
The Swiss Legation at Washington is further requested to report at
the earliest possible date the results of the steps taken by it on
the subject. It is particularly requested to ascertain whether, and
to what extent, women against whom there stands no
well-substantiated suspicion that they endanger the safety of the
state, have been interned. It is further expected to receive a full
list of all the German men and women interned in the United States
with a statement of the grounds upon which they were interned.
Berlin
, August 12, 1918.
[Enclosure 2—Translation]
The German Foreign
Office to the Swiss Legation at
Berlin
No.III–c–18931/132046
Note Verbale
The Swedish Consulate General at Moscow has made requests to have a
safe-conduct from St. Petersburg to Stockholm granted to the widow
of the former American Consul General at Moscow, Mrs.
Summers, her 12–year-old son, and Miss
Helen Ogden, who had been employed in the Russian Section of the
American Y.W.C.A.
The German Government is constrained to condition compliance with
this wish on the previous assurance to be given by the Government of
the United States of America that German women in America will be
exempt from any kind of internment.
The Foreign Office begs the Swiss Legation to make the foregoing
known by wire to the American Government, and to communicate its
answer to this office in due course.
Berlin
, August 31, 1918.
