740.00115A Pacific War/59½: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland ( Harrison )
712. Your 733, February 24, and 865, March 4. American interests—Japan. Please request the Swiss Government to inform the Japanese Government (1) that the Government of the United States has taken note of the Japanese Government’s declaration that it will apply, on condition of reciprocity, the Geneva Prisoners of War Convention in the treatment of prisoners of war and, in so far as the provisions of the Convention shall be applicable, in the treatment of civilian internees, and that the latter shall not be forced to perform labor against their wills, (2) that this Government did not contemplate and has not made use of the provisions of Article 27 of the Convention to compel Japanese civilians detained or interned by it to labor against their wills, (3) that this Government is preparing for presentation to the Japanese Government proposals for the carrying out of the Geneva Prisoners of War and Red Cross Conventions and for the extension of applicable provisions of the Prisoners of War Convention to civilian internees and temporary detainees, (4) that the following rations are provided for each Japanese national detained by the American authorities: In temporary custody of the Department of Justice: Weight in pounds per day per individual: Meats and fish, 0.75; lard and cooking oils, 0.15; flour, starches and cereals, 0.80; dairy products, 1.00; eggs, 0.03; sugar and syrup, 0.25; beverages (coffee or tea) 0.10; potatoes and root vegetables, 1.00; leafy green or yellow vegetables, 0.60; dried vegetables and nuts, 0.10; fresh fruits and berries, 0.15; dried fruits, 0.08; miscellaneous food adjuncts, 0.015; spices, relishes and sauces, 0.10; Japanese food, 0.06032; Interned in the custody of the War Department: Weight in ounces per day per individual: Meat, 18.0; fresh eggs, one each; dry vegetables and cereals, 2.6; fresh vegetables, 21.0; fruit, 4.7; beverages, coffee, 2.0; cocoa, 0.3; tea, 0.05; lard and cooking fats, 1.28; butter, 2.0; milk, evaporated, 1.0; fresh, 8.0; flour (wheat) 12.0; sugar and syrup, 5.5; macaroni, 0.25; cheese, 0.25; spices, relishes and sauces, 0.984; allowance is made in the preparation of food for Japanese national and racial preferences, (5) that detainees and internees are permitted to receive visits from [Page 805] their friends and relatives, are regularly visited by doctors and are hospitalized should their health require it, are permitted to read newspapers and books, and are held in general under conditions no less favorable than those which the Japanese Government states are applied to American internees in its hands; (6) that this Government has informed the Spanish Embassy as the protecting power for Japanese interests in the United States, the Swedish Legation as the protecting power for Japanese interests in Hawaii, and the Delegate in the United States of the International Red Cross that it welcomes visits by representatives of their offices to all of the places of detention of detained or interned Japanese nationals in American hands and that representatives of the Spanish Embassy have already begun to visit such places in The United States.