File No. 102.1/459
The Ambassador in Great Britain ( Page ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 21, 4.48 a.m.]
For Secretary of the Treasury from Crosby:
No. 23. Serbian situation. British, French Governments made appropriations April last 800,000 francs for aid to Serbian prisoners in occupied territory but never agreed upon details, hence no expenditures whatever have been made on that account. Lord Robert Cecil 1 admits propriety of sending in supplies for prisoners but opposes any help to civil population in spite of accredited reports of great distress, this based on fact that no engagement obtained from Austrian Government not to requisition foodstuffs from Serbian [Page 606] prisoners as is ease in Belgium. Small quantities of food and clothing find their way in through Serbian Relief Committee of London and Swiss and Dutch Red Cross organizations. Swiss Government recently proposed to British and French to guarantee delivery of foodstuffs to indigent persons in occupied territory, believing this measure could not be of benefit to enemy; Lord Robert still in opposition. My own opinion is help to enemy so slight that humanitarian reasons should control if assistance restricted to families actually found in distress instead of making general distribution through sale as well as charity as in Belgium. Serbian Minister much discouraged by British attitude. Would like to be authorized to support proposition of Swiss Government; think if this be done much dire distress in Belgrade and other Serbian cities may be remedied at small cost; however, the large assistance now being given by British and French to Serbian Government justifies their control of general treatment. They now supply munitions, clothing, food to 144,000 Serbian troops and give besides 13,000,000 francs monthly for civil establishment and interest charged. Eight thousand sacks flour from our supplies now about to reach Serbia for relief of prisoners; recommend continuation advance of $1,000,000 monthly with restriction as to use of any part in favor of civil population in occupied territory. Pending future negotiation with British their opposition to introduction foodstuffs above noted not affected by question of nationality of Red Cross used as instrumentality of distribution; may be able to dislodge 800,000 francs above mentioned, deposited April last and not yet used. …
- British Minister of Blockade.↩