File No. 763.72114a/215
The Minister in Switzerland ( Stovall) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 6, 10.23 a.m.]
5031. My 4330, August 15, 3 p.m. German Government replies as follows: [Page 37]
There are no reprisal camps for prisoners of war in Germany. That many camps for prisoners of war are more exposed to the dangers of attacks by bombs, which are contrary to the rights of humanity, by enemy aviators in open cities, is no reason to intern prisoners of war in more protected places in the interior of Germany. The Governments of the enemy are in a position to protect their soldiers who are in German hands from such danger. The suggestion of the American League [Legation] at Berne must therefore be rejected.
The entire subject as to the advisability of a reciprocal arrangement looking to the removal of prisoners of war on both sides to places which could under no circumstances be exposed to air attack, was carefully considered in the preliminary meetings of the American commission in Paris. General Kernan and the entire commission decided that we could not limit ourselves to such an extent as probably [regards] the German prisoners in our hands and that we reserved the right to employ German prisoners in France wherever they may be most advantageously used 30 kilometers behind the fighting front. The subject is therefore not being discussed in the Berne conference, but if at any future date information should be received which would lead to the belief that American prisoners are being deliberately exposed in places of ostentatious danger as a measure of reprisal, I shall not fail to communicate such information to the Department.