340.1115A/2489: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle)
690. The Department has found the Legation’s 745, February 25, 4 p.m. most helpful and desires you to convey to Brandt, Elting and House, as well as to Burckhardt and Chenevière, the Department’s appreciation of their contribution in working out the arrangements reported therein as confirmed by your 962, March 10, 10 a.m.35
The Department in replying to inquiries concerning American citizens in enemy and enemy-occupied areas is now using language in the following sense:
“The Department fully appreciates your desire to obtain information regarding (relationship or person’s name) and regrets that owing to war conditions it is no longer in a position to institute through diplomatic channels inquiries concerning Americans who have remained in enemy (or enemy-occupied) territory. However, in cooperation with the American Red Cross arrangements have been made by which such inquiries will henceforth be handled by the American Red Cross through channels available to the International Red Cross Committee at Geneva, Switzerland. It is suggested, therefore, that you communicate with the nearest chapter of the American Red Cross with a view to initiating the desired inquiry. You will readily appreciate that under existing conditions it may be difficult or even impossible to obtain the desired information and that, in any event, considerable delay may be experienced.”
Similar language is used in replying to requests for the transmission of personal messages.
Should the American Red Cross inform the Department that its efforts to obtain a report or transmit a message in any individual case have been unsuccessful the Department will of course consider the possibility of instructing the Legation to request the assistance of the [Page 277] Swiss Government in obtaining the desired action. Furthermore, other very special cases may from time to time be referred to the Legation in the first instance for action through the Swiss Government.
Whereabouts and welfare inquiries in respect to American citizens in countries where this Government has its own representatives and requests for transmission of personal messages to such citizens will be handled, as heretofore, through this Government’s representatives in those countries.
- Not printed.↩