Office of the Historian

740.00115A Pacific War/1113: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)

Washington, April 5, 1944—midnight.

1151. American Interests—Financial Assistance. Department understands that there is a considerable number of persons held as United States citizens in internment camps in Germany or German-controlled areas who claim American citizenship but who may find it difficult readily to establish their claim. Henceforth, whenever the evidence of citizenship presented is considered by the Legation to be insufficient to establish the eligibility of such persons to receive financial assistance under Department’s 1202,68 the Legation instead of disapproving the application should merely inform the Swiss Government that the case has been referred to the Department for further consideration and that financial assistance may not be extended until receipt of the Department’s decision.

Hull
  1. Instruction dated February 14, 1942, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, p. 262.↩