The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in exposing the condition of the Serbian prisoners in its true light, likes to believe that the Government at Washington justly appreciates the worth of the assertions. of the Serbian Government as set forth in its memorandum. File No. 763.72114/4139 The Secretary of State to the Special Agent in Corfu (Dodge) [Telegram] WASHINGTON, November 8, 1918, 6 p. m. Your October 31, 4 p. m.1 Department assumes the request for additional assistance for Serbian prisoners of war, referred to in second paragraph of your October 5, 10 a. m., may be disregarded in view of capitulation of Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. LANSING RELIEF FOR RUSSIAN PRISONERS OF WAR HELD BY THE CENTRAL POWERS: THE COPENHAGEN RED CROSS CONFERENCE File No. 763.72114/2713 The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] PETROGRAD, May 30, 1917, noon. 1340. Ignatieff, former Minister Education, made president of Russian Red Cross by pressure, states great suffering among Russian prisoners in Germany and Austria, who number 2,000,000 and "are simply dying of hunger." Asks whether our Government will permit Russia to buy there monthly "one thousand tons brank (scarred [war?] biscuit) and other food supplies such as fat, sugar, conserve, conserved milk, etc., and assist the transport of these supplies to Copenhagen." Says Russian Red Cross negotiating with German Red Cross to obtain guarantee of the aforesaid steamers carrying such supplies. Says America will earn thereby eternal gratitude of Russian people and asks prompt reply. Think Rockefeller Foundation and Young Men's Christian Association planning to furnish such supplies. FRANCIS 'Not printed. File No. 763.72114/2713 The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Russia (Francis) [Telegram] WASHINGTON, July 3, 1917, 4 p. m. 1529. Your 1340, May 30, noon. Contents communicated to interested societies. For your information following telegram to-day sent to Legation, Copenhagen: The special Russian Commission now in the United States is urging the Red Cross to undertake immediate relief on a large scale of provisioning Russian prisoners of war in Germany. The suggestion is made that at present the Russian relief is operating largely through Copenhagen, and that shipments made through this channel reach the prisoners without molestation. Please report immediately in regard to the extent of Russian relief now passing through this channel, and whether in your opinion it is wisely controlled and directed and in fact reaches the prisoners of war. LANSING File No. 811.142/2222 The Minister in Denmark (Egan) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] COPENHAGEN, July 10, 1917, 3 p. m. Your 395, July 3, 3 p. m.1 Have thoroughly investigated the Copenhagen branch of the Russian Red Cross and also the Committee of the Municipality of Moscow which is in charge of this branch. Legation has been furnished with a full report giving statistics regarding amount of work done by this Committee, number of prisoners and quantities of supplies which have been sent. This will be mailed to Department. In the first six months of 1917 the Committee has forwarded 7,000 parcels by train and 12,000 by mail to the prisoners as well as a large amount of money. The mail forwarded to the prisoners during the same period amounted to 1,200,000 letters. This Committee is in touch with local committees composed entirely of Russians who distribute the supplies in 149 camps in Germany and 36 camps in Austria. It appears to this Legation that this organization is thoroughly competent and capable of handling large quantities of supplies for Russian prisoners and that the supplies are wisely controlled. The means taken to have supplies reach the prisoners are as perfect as possible. 'Quoted in telegram of July 3 to the Ambassador in Russia, supra. 59665-3340 In addition to the above organization there is also a Russian section of the Danish Red Cross which is able under Danish regulations to send not more than 1,000 packages monthly to Russian prisoners in Germany. EGAN File No. 763.72114/2819a The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain 5282. . . (Page) [Telegram-Extract] WASHINGTON, August 9, 1917, 5 p. m. The French, Russian, Belgian, Serbian, and Roumanian Governments have asked this Government through their representatives at Berne to purchase and ship food supplies for their respective prisoners in Germany and Austria-Hungary. The matter has been turned over to the American Red Cross which has it, as well as the question of sending food supplies to American prisoners, under serious consideration. Great numbers of Russian, Serbian, and Roumanian prisoners in German and Austro-Hungarian camps are asserted to be actually and presently starving, such small relief as was supplied having entirely ceased. The American Red Cross is considering the following projects: 1. The relief as urgently pressed by the Russian Government of all suffering Russian prisoners and also of all Serbian prisoners. The total relief thus projected would run as high as an average of 480 tons of war biscuit or its equivalent in food value per day. It is entirely unlikely that the American Red Cross will feel justified in undertaking any such amount of relief, even though money for the Russian portion thereof be furnished by or for the account of the Russian Government. This on account of lack of shipping facilities and independently of any political or military considerations. Nevertheless, the Department will be glad to have the views of the British Government concerning this suggestion, which is very urgently pressed upon the American Red Cross by the Russian authorities. 2. The supply of Russian, Serbian, and Roumanian prisoners who are actually in hospital or are incapacitated by wounds or disease. It is estimated that the whole number of such prisoners in Germany and Austria-Hungary may reach a total of 600,000, but it is believed that if a proper survey of such prisoners can be made the number of those who will be found to be in really desperate need of relief will be very largely reduced. For the purpose of considering this project the Red Cross are assuming that such survey would disclose the possibility of reducing the number to be relieved to not exceeding 300,000, and they are inclined to attempt the relief of such last-mentioned prisoners if arrangements can be made for transportation, which seems difficult but perhaps within the bounds of possibility. This would mean the transportation upon the average of the tons per day of foodstuffs. 3. The relief mentioned under 2, adding thereto the relief of the remainder of the Serbian prisoners who are suffering from lack of food. It is assumed that this would add about 65,000 prisoners to the foregoing and would involve an average addition of 16 to 17 tons per day. 4. The Red Cross, of course, is intending, whatever else it may or may not do, to relieve the necessities of all American prisoners who have fallen or may fall into the hands of the enemy, adopting about the same scale of relief as that employed by the Canadians with respect to Canadian prisoners in German hands. Before any concrete progress can be made it is important that the Department obtain a clearer understanding as to what will be acquiesced in and what objected to by the British Government. It is therefore desirable that the Department learn the attitude of the British Government towards the following points: 1. The amount of supplies that may be sent into Germany without objection upon the part of the British Government; whether supplies for the relief of Russian prisoners and prisoners of Allied nationalities, other than American, may be sent and if so to what extent; whether the attitude of the British Government will be different with respect to relief forwarded through Denmark or Holland, upon the one part, or through Switzerland, upon the other. 2. Physical shape in which such supplies may be sent, whether they may be sent in bulk, in standard packages or in individual packages, or by all three methods. It is assumed that biscuits or bread may be sent in bulk. 3. The conditions, if any, other than transmission through authorized organizations, which should be observed in order that supplies may be forwarded. 4. The Russian Government urges that supplies for their prisoners to the extent furnished should be sent to Copenhagen. The Department should be informed whether Great Britain would object to this, and if not, what means (shipping facilities) may best be employed in order to meet the convenience of the British Government in laying down food and other supplies in Copenhagen or other ports which are affected by the blockade of the Central Powers. In your conversation at the Foreign Office you will take up these matters and endeavor to obtain at the earliest moment practicable a definite statement of the attitude of the British Government towards each of the points herein mentioned. Please regard the matter as urgent. LANSING File No. 763.72114/2856 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] LONDON, September 1, 1917, 6 p. m. [Received September 2, 7.30 a. m.] 7084. Your 5282 August 9, 5 p. m. My 7023, August 24, 6 p. m.1 Foreign Office memorandum states that the question of supplies for Allied prisoners has been receiving earnest consideration. Respecting Russian and French prisoners the British Government's activities have been limited to meeting so far as possible requests for supplies from this country. Respecting the Rumanians, however, the British Government has also financially assisted their relief organizations, and in the case of the Serbs the British Government. has both provided funds and sent wheat from England to Berne through British General Headquarters in France. Thus Russian prisoners are now receiving no direct assistance from either the Britannic or the French Government, and it is therefore suggested that if British and American Governments can jointly find the necessary tonnage the American Red Cross might feel able to extend some relief to Russian prisoners. Regarding shipping there are two proposals: (1) the Danish Red Cross desire to charter a Danish ship not required for general Allied purposes, or to persuade the German Government to lend a ship with neutral crew on condition that half her space be devoted to loading supplies for German prisoners in Russia; (2) the Russian Embassy has suggested the use of some of the Dutch ships now detained in the United States. The British Government regards Allied prisoners as having as strong a claim to be fed as any other Allied persons not actively engaged in warfare, and will act on this principle subject to the consideration from time to time of the total Allied requirements and supplies and of the security in each case available as to the supplies reaching prisoners. The amount of the supplies allowed by British Government to enter enemy countries will be governed by these considerations regarding center of distribution: [a] Berne as the sole center seems unsuitable because, first, the forwarding of sufficient supplies over French railways is already very difficult; second, Berne is the only center from which any particulars can be sent to Austria. For these reasons any additional relief to prisoners in Germany should so far as possible be given from Holland or Denmark. (b) Food from Great Britain is mainly sent in parcels to individual prisoners, but the Allied countries mostly send it 'Not printed. |