852.2221/920: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Bullitt)
360. Your 895, June 8, 4 p.m. Department is informed by Friends of Abraham Lincoln Brigade that $5,000 have now been sent to organization’s representative in Paris for care and repatriation wounded Americans. Organization insists Sylvia Katz is acting as its representative pending arrival of David Amariglio who sailed yesterday on Queen Mary with letter of introduction to Murphy. Organization states cable received from Paris June 7 reporting all Americans in France will be moved to Paris where hospital facilities have been arranged for them and that it expects that those who experience no passport difficulties will reach New York in near future.
In response to Department’s letter acquainting him with plight of American wounded, Herman F. Reissig, Executive Secretary of the Medical Bureau and North American Committee to Aid Spanish Democracy has informed Department that that organization has now sent $5,000 to its representative in Paris for medical care and repatriation of wounded Americans. Representative is stated to be Peter Rhodes, in care of l’Office Internationale pour l’Enfance, 38 rue Chateaudun. Reissig states further that “we expect to provide medical and nursing personnel for these wounded men while they are en route to the United States” and adds in explanation that Dr. Edward Barsky, head of medical personnel of organization in Spain, has been instructed to proceed to Paris, and together with two nurses arrange to accompany men.
The $10,000 already contributed by these two organizations would seem more than sufficient to cover cost of repatriation of wounded Americans now in France and the 53 additional reported in your telegram under reference as being sent out of Spain today. While realizing that the problem has probably not reached its full magnitude, the Department is relieved that the two organizations have assumed responsibility for all wounded Americans who may leave Spain, and are making arrangements for their care and repatriation to the United States.
Copies of correspondence with Reissig, memorandum of conversation between White and officers of the Department on May 31, and memorandum by Mrs. Shipley,60 covering passport procedure with regard to returning American volunteers, are being mailed to you today.61