862.48/52

The Swiss Minister ( Sulzer ) to the Secretary of State 7

Sir: By direction of my Government, I have the honor to transmit to your Excellency the following cable communication from the German Government to the President of the United States:8

“President Wilson
Washington

The armistice terms dispel the prospect of an early home coming for the German prisoners of war and interned civilians. Notwithstanding the big hearted offer of food relief, famine remains a danger in Germany and traffic congestion is unavoidable so that provisions cannot be shipped from home as heretofore. The quickest action on a large scale from neutral and heretofore enemy countries alone can save the German prisoners of war and interned civilians from want, disease and despair.

The German Government has approached the Y. M. C. A. of New York with a view to the immediate organization of thorough relief from the United States and begs your personal support of this labor of love. It is especially important to let the American Commissariat immediately place at our disposal, subject to later accounting, the food stuffs, linen, boots, coats, etc. out of the stocks stored in France.

Hundreds of thousands of German prisoners of war and interned civilians and their kin would thank you from their hearts for this humane help in their dire need.

German Government.”

Accept [etc.]

Hans Sulzer
  1. Forwarded to Colonel House as Department’s telegram No. 173, Dec. 11, 1918, 7 p.m.
  2. The following is a translation of the German text quoted by the Minister.