393.1121/110: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland ( Harrison )
970. Your 1317, 2d. American interests—Far East. Department appreciates receiving list of Americans arrested at Shanghai.
It is clear that the treatment of persons held on criminal charges will be different from that of persons detained or interned for ordinary reasons of national safety.
The statement in the first sentence of fourth paragraph of your telegram under reference is not clear as to the respects in which the Japanese Government does not share the point of view of the American Government as to the Geneva Convention, and the Department would therefore appreciate receiving for purposes of clarification any information the Swiss Government may be able to obtain with regard to this statement’s meaning.
With reference to the remainder of this paragraph, it is requested that in future discussions of this matter with the Japanese authorities it be pointed out that the vast majority of the total of 90,000 Japanese subjects registered as residents of the United States are at liberty and enjoying complete protection of the law, and the Attorney General42 has ruled that such persons are not precluded by Federal Statute or regulations from suing in Federal or State courts.
- Francis Biddle↩