862.85/2016

The Secretary of State to the German Chargé (Thomsen)20

Sir: With further reference to your notes of March 31 and April 1, 1941 respecting the treatment accorded the officers and crews removed from vessels of German registry in ports of the United States, I have the honor to state that the following report has been received from the Attorney General and is transmitted herewith for your information. The Attorney General has requested me to assure you that every effort has been and is still being made to furnish to the officers and crews taken from the vessels reasonable and proper accommodations. If there were any failure in this respect it was due to the fact that the Department of Justice was required to take charge of an unusual and unexpected number of persons on short notice and had little time to make arrangements for their quartering. Any inconveniences were remedied as speedily as possible and action is still being taken to supply these persons with reasonable accommodations.

The report from the Attorney General is in substance as follows:

[Here follows a rather detailed report on the treatment given the officers and crews of the Pauline Friedrich and the Arauca after their seizure on March 30 and March 31.]

Accept [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:
Breckinridge Long
  1. A similar note was sent on the same date to the Italian Ambassador embodying the Attorney General’s report on treatment of officers and crews of Italian ships seized.