361.11/3642
The Minister in Switzerland (Gary) to the Acting Secretary of
State
Berne, December 11,
1920.
[Received January 13,
1921.]
No. 402
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the
Department’s cable of November 24/6 p.m.77 sent to Ohristiania,
forwarded to us for action, in which the Department states that it
would welcome an expression from Dr. Nansen as to the desirability
of his continued efforts to secure further releases of Americans now
held in Russia.
I immediately acquainted Dr. Nansen who is in Geneva with the
substance of the Department’s telegram and I am this morning in
receipt of a reply from him, a copy in translation of which I am
enclosing herewith.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
Dr. Fridtjof
Nansen to the Minister in Switzerland
(Gary)
Geneva, December 9,
1920.
Mr. Minister: In reply to your letter
of the 2nd, I have the honor to inform you that I am working
unceasingly to obtain the liberation of American citizens who
are still held prisoners in Russia. I believe it is preferable
for the moment not to insist too much upon
[Page 687]
the return of these prisoners, for
the reason that the Soviet Government might believe that we
attach a very great importance to these latter and would be
tempted then to make use of it for the negotiation of other
conditions.
Concerning Mr. Kalamatiano I have already made many advances of
which the Government of the United States has been informed and
it seems to me that it will be better in this case also to wait
a little longer for the decision of the Soviet Government before
renewing my demand.
I can assure you that I shall neglect no opportunity for bringing
this affair to a happy end and if I am writing to you in this
sense today it is only in the interest of those prisoners in
question and of the Government of the United States.
In asking you to kindly take these lines in consideration accept
[etc.]
