71)1.94114 Mail/6–1944: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
3321. ReDepts 1379, April 21;4 reurtel 3928, June 19. Department has received a communication from AmEmbassy, Moscow, stating that the Soviet postal authorities have not thus far received from the Japanese authorities in the Far East any mail from American prisoners of war and interned civilians or mail of any other kind for forwarding via Tehran to the United States.
[Page 1055]Please communicate the foregoing information to the Swiss Government requesting it to ask the Japanese authorities to route all prisoner of war and civilian internee mail (both Japanese and American) to the United States via the Soviet Union and Tehran from which point it will be carried to the United States by air free of charge. The United States authorities believe that the route via Tehran offers at present the most expeditious method for the exchange of prisoner of war and civilian internee mail between the United States and the Far East.
As noted in the Department’s 1379, April 21, it would be appreciated if the Swiss could obtain from the Japanese authorities notice when mails from the Far East are first routed via Tehran. Department would also appreciate receiving urgently information as to whether mails routed to the Far East via Tehran and the Soviet Union have arrived.