740.0011 European War 1939/33938: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland ( Harrison ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:53 p.m.]
2310. In letter dated April 12, received today Mr. Pilet-Golaz acknowledges my letter of April 10 (see my 2228, April 10) and says “We thank you for this communication and for this payment and we wish to assure you that we appreciate very keenly the American Government’s concern to provide with all the promptness possible for the reparation of damages caused by that tragic accident.
We have contacted at once the Swiss National Bank in order to examine how the exchange value of the sum placed at our disposal could be obtained.”
Mr. Pilet-Golaz informs me of the appointment of Professor Bohren of Thun as Federal Commissioner to assess all damages and to be assisted by a committee on which cantonal and municipal authorities as well as the cantonal Tribunal will be represented. He concludes by stating that “measures have already been taken or are being studied in [Page 799] order to provide for the immediate undertaking of repair work and the payment of installment accounts to compensate the sufferers thus enabling them to make a new start in life without awaiting the final estimate of the damages which to be conscientious and objective will inevitably require a certain time”.