740.00115 European War 1939/6345
The Secretary of State to the Swiss Minister (Bruggmann)
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Honorable the Minister of Switzerland in charge of Italian interests in the United States and has the honor to acknowledge receipt of the Legation’s note no. It. D. 2 of March 18, 194319 raising certain questions regarding the repatriation of Italian nationals and of nationals of some of the other American Republics.
The German Government is being informed, as indicated in the Department’s note of this date to the Legation of Switzerland in charge of German interests in the United States in regard to a German stipulation regarding the repatriation of certain Italian nationals, that the United States Government is willing to permit the repatriation of the Italian nationals named in the attached list19 subject to the concurrence of the governments of the other American Republics which sent them to the United States and subject to such terms as those American Republics may stipulate and subject further to the release of the United States and other American officials and assimilated categories of nationals who may be held by the German Government.
The United States Government is willing to consider on its merits any request for safe conduct for Italian nationals which may be made of the American Embassy at Mexico by the Mexican Foreign Office. [Page 87] The United States Government would not undertake to grant safe conduct to Italian nationals in Mexico unless the Mexican Government should advise it that it desired such safe conduct issued.
The United States Government is agreeable to the repatriation with the Italian nationals named in the attached list of the thirteen Italian consular and civilian members of the Armistice Commission in North Africa who are now detained at Ingleside, near Staunton, Virginia, provided that the Italian Government simultaneously releases the United States officials who were taken from Monaco to Italian territory.
The United States Government desires that the Italian Government permit the United States official group from Monaco to be accompanied upon leaving Italy by the following individuals:
- William Frank Doublet, who was a member of the American Consulate at Tunisia.
- Mr. Larry Allen, a newspaper correspondent who was taken at Tobruk on the British destroyer Sikh, the crew members of which have been repatriated.
- Mr. John Antoniades, the husband of an official of the American Legation at Athens, who was by error not allowed to depart from Athens with the American official party.
It is understood that the exchange of any or all of the above persons is to take place on Portuguese territory under the guarantee of the Portuguese Government in accordance with the terms discussed in full detail in the exchange arrangement to be effected between the United States and German Governments.