340.1115A/2409: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle)
354. American Interests. Your 257, January 24. Department is fully conscious of the heavy demands being made upon the Swiss Foreign Office and Swiss representatives in connection with whereabouts and welfare inquiries respecting Americans in enemy and enemy-occupied territories and desires to relieve the Swiss Government and its representatives of this burden to the extent that a satisfactory arrangement can be made to procure information through other channels.
The American Red Cross has indicated its willingness to take over this work if assurances can be obtained from International Red Cross that effective channels of communication are available to the International Red Cross promptly to obtain information in answer to whereabouts and welfare inquiries respecting American citizens in enemy and enemy-occupied territories. As inquiries of this nature sent by the American Red Cross to the international organization for submission to the Japanese Red Cross remain unanswered after more than 3 weeks, the American Red Cross is still uncertain whether it is [Page 261] in a position to undertake full responsibility for making such inquiries through Red Cross channels. The International Red Cross is understood to be endeavoring to reach an understanding with the Swiss Government concerning reduction in cable rates on whereabouts and welfare inquiries, at least on those concerning civilian internees, similar to the reductions said to have been allowed on inquiries regarding prisoners of war.
You may accordingly take this matter up with the International Red Cross, support the efforts of the American Red Cross and endeavor to work out as promptly as possible with the former organization a satisfactory procedure for handling all whereabouts and welfare inquiries through it and the American Red Cross.
Please inform Swiss Foreign Office of foregoing and express the Department’s hope that Swiss Government will be willing, until a satisfactory arrangement is worked out with the Red Cross, to continue to handle whereabouts and welfare inquiries regarding American citizens in areas where that Government is representing American interests.
To alleviate as much as possible the anxiety of relatives in this country that would be intensified were the Department compelled to state that no channel of inquiry is open to it, the Department will continue to forward such inquiries to you for reference in your discretion to the Swiss Government or to the International Committee pending the conclusion of a satisfactory arrangement under which all such inquiries may be referred to the American Red Cross here for action through its facilities and those of the International Committee at Geneva.