File No. 012/13876
The Secretary of State to the Polish Victims’ Relief Fund
Gentlemen: With reference to the Department’s letter of July 5,1 and to your reply of July 9,1 I take pleasure in informing you that the Department is now disposed to authorize your organization to undertake the forwarding of general relief funds to Russian Poland through the General Committee for Polish Relief in Vevey, under such conditions and limitations as the Department may from time to time lay down and with due regard to the provisions of any legislation which may now or subsequently be in force. This authorization is furthermore subject to withdrawal at any time.
You are requested to inform the Department promptly of all transactions which you may conduct with the Vevey Committee, stating the amount transmitted in every case.
Now that the General Committee for Polish Relief in Vevey has been selected as a distributing point for relief funds to the Poles in Russian Poland the Department desires to have some central agency here which would be exclusively recognized as a general clearing house for this class of relief and from which the Department would receive monthly reports of all such funds sent forward. Under these circumstances, the Department would be glad to learn whether it may henceforth regard your organization as such a central agency and whether it may properly refer to you such other organizations and committees as may apply for permission to send relief funds to Russian Poland.2 Among others, the Maryland Committee for the Relief of Poland’s War Victims, Baltimore, “Friends of Poland,” [Page 507] Boston, and the Polish Central War Relief Committee, Chicago, would come into consideration. An expression of your views in this connection would be appreciated.
Persons desiring to send remittances to specific individuals in Russian Poland as distinguished from general relief, should be referred to the American Express Co., 65 Broadway, New York, or to Messrs. C. B. Richard & Co., 31 and 33 Broadway, New York, these two firms having been authorized by the Department to undertake this class of work.
I am [etc.]