File No. 763.72114/409
The Ambassador in Russia (Marye) to the
Secretary of State
No. 103]
Petrograd,
March 27, 1915.
[Received April 21.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of the Department’s telegram No. 243, of the 15th instant,4 directing the Embassy to bring to the attention
of the Russian Foreign Office that the Austro-Hungarian Government
desires to make an agreement with the Russian Government for the
inspection of prisoners’ camps, similar to the plan agreed upon between
the German and the British Governments.
The substance of this telegram was transmitted to the Russian Foreign
Office, and I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of its
reply.
Copies of this reply have been sent direct to the American Embassy in
Vienna for transmission to the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Office.
I have [etc.]
For the Ambassador:
Charles S. Wilson
Secretary of Embassy
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to
the American Embassy
No. 3166/D II]
Petrograd,
March 13
/
26, 1915.
Replying to the note of 4/17 March, 1915, the Imperial Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has the honor to inform the Embassy of the United
States of America, on the question of the condition of
Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war in Russia,
[Page 1018]
that as the Imperial Ministry has
already informed the Embassy in its note of February 7, 1915, No.
1645, the Imperial Government has no objection to the Embassy’s
representative visiting the camps of said prisoners in Russia.
As regards the distribution of subsidies to these prisoners, the
Imperial Ministry has to say that, as already stated in previous
correspondence, the Government regrets that it cannot agree to a
direct distribution of subsidies to the prisoners by any one except
the military authorities.
In this way all contributions and gifts, addressed to Austrian
prisoners in care of the special distributing committee at the
Russian Red Cross Society, are forwarded to the addressees, as are
also all gifts collected by the Russian committee caring for the
needs of Slav prisoners of war, the latter category receiving
considerable assistance from the said committee.
In conclusion the Imperial Ministry has the honor to transmit to the
Embassy a copy of the existing regulations concerning prisoners of
war in Russia, with the request that it may be forwarded to the
Austro-Hungarian Government in reply to their request for data
concerning the condition of military prisoners in Russia. Should the
Imperial Government issue any new regulations of a general nature
concerning the condition of prisoners of war, the Imperial Ministry
will not fail to forward a copy to the Embassy.
