852.48/253: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)
115. Your 228, September 28, 11 a.m. Please convey to the Brazilian authorities an expression of our appreciation of their humanitarian decision to donate coffee for the use of women and children refugees in Spain.
The Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy informed the Department yesterday that he had received instructions from his Government to get in touch with the American Red Cross with a view to arranging the details of shipment and distribution of this coffee through the Red Cross. An appointment was accordingly arranged with Mr. Ernest J. Swift, Vice Chairman in charge of foreign operations of the American Red Cross. The Department is now informed that the Red Cross will undertake to transport the coffee from Brazilian ports and supervise its distribution to refugees in Spain in same manner as is being done with flour shipments from this country. Arrangements have been made by Red Cross to assure distribution of these commodities directly to refugees in all parts of Spain in proportion to the need. The quantity of coffee that will be shipped under this arrangement will have to be determined later depending upon the amount that can usefully be distributed in Spain and upon the funds available to the Red Cross to cover incidental costs.