740.00114 European War 1939/2026a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle)

330. Please request Swiss Government to be good enough to communicate through its representatives at Berlin and Rome to the German and Italian Governments, respectively, the information that this Government as a party to the Geneva Prisoner of War Convention and the Geneva Red Cross Convention both of July 27, 19291 intends to apply the provisions of those conventions.

It is, furthermore, the intention of this Government to apply the provisions of the Geneva Prisoner of War Convention to any civilian enemy aliens that may be interned, in so far as the provisions of that convention may be adaptable thereto. It is hoped that the German and Italian Governments will reciprocate in this respect and it would be appreciated if those Governments might likewise be so informed through Swiss channels.

It would be appreciated if the Swiss Government would obtain as soon as possible for the information of this Government an expression of the intentions of the German and Italian Governments, respectively, in regard to the observance of the above-mentioned conventions as well as the application, in so far as adaptable to civilian enemy aliens, of the Prisoner of War Convention.2

Hull
  1. For texts of the Conventions, see Foreign Relations, 1929, vol. i, pp. 336 and 321, respectively; or 47 Stat. (pt. 2) 2021 and 2074, respectively.
  2. Concerning the arrangement between the United States and Germany, see bracketed note under Germany, vol. ii .