740.00115A Pacific War/6–2844: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:40 p.m.]
4110. American Interests—China—Civilian Internees. Swiss note dated June 24 states 360 sick and aged citizens of countries at war with Japan including 24 Americans will be interned June 28 special Shanghai camp. This concerns with exception Orientals last nationals of enemy countries still at liberty and previously exempted owing grave state of health.
Japanese authorities allowing no exception these internment steps except small minority of sick who will be placed hospital where subject same restrictions as internees.
Fontanel intervened behalf the sick not benefiting from this exception stressing danger transfer seriously ill and helpless to camp inadequately furnished receive such internees and lacking necessary medical equipment. Fontanel nevertheless told that in principle no exception may be granted.69
- In despatch 8600, June 26, the Minister in Switzerland advised of reports regarding conditions in civilian internment centers at Shanghai. These reports, based on confidential sources, had been sent to the Swiss Foreign Office on March 31 by Mr. Fontanel. The principal grievances set forth by the internees concerned inadequacy of food and hygienic measures. Mr. Fontanel had been unable to visit the centers and the Japanese consular authorities had not permitted the internees to make known their grievances to him. Furthermore, the consular authorities had not permitted the dispatch of parcels by the International Red Cross, payments for medicinals, and the cost of hospitalization in very urgent cases. Mr. Fontanel also reported, however, that the situation was much less unfavorable at Weihsien and Yangchow where his representatives had made regular visits and could converse with the internees “almost freely”. (740.00115A P.W./6–2644)↩