undertake the distribution of relief funds in Poland and to guarantee that the contributions shall be employed exclusively for Poles in the occupied territory who are Russian subjects. The Department is therefore very glad to authorize your organization to send such further sums through that channel, in addition to the $50,000 already remitted, as may appear to you desirable. Sincerely yours, WILLIAM PHILLIPS File No. 861.48/316a The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) [Telegram] WASHINGTON, June 18, 1917, 5 p. m. 5012. Please ascertain and report by wire as fully as possible the policy and methods employed by the British Government in controlling remittances of relief funds to Poland and other occupied territories for the civil population, indicating through what channels such funds are directed and how their proper distribution is guaranteed. The Legation at Berne reports that during the last few days the General Polish Relief Committee at Vevey and affiliated organizations have received from British sources 3,661,000 Swiss francs for relief purposes. LANSING File No. 861.48/329 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] LONDON, June 29, 1917, 4 p. m. 6570. Your 5012, June 18, 5 p. m. Lengthy note just received from Foreign Office giving answer in extenso to your inquiries which I shall forward by mail leaving tomorrow. British Government have no knowledge of the transmission recently of large sum you mention from British sources to the Vevey Committee and hope that you will endeavor to obtain details of sources from which these funds are said to have come. Only sum authorized recently for this Committee is one of a few hundred pounds sent by the Polish Victims' Relief Fund in this country for the erection in Switzerland of a home for Polish refugee children. British Government, at one time disposed to grant facilities freely for transmission of such funds, have now reluctantly been compelled as the result of experience to restrict them to the narrowest possible limits. It has not been possible to devise system of guarantees which will ensure that funds sent with a charitable object will in fact reach suffering population for whom they are intended. Moreover, receipt of money in any appreciable quantity merely acts as an incentive to the enemy authorities to impose fresh exactions, taxes, levies, or requisitions, and persons in the occupied territories are being systematically urged by the enemy authorities to make appeals to the United States and Canada for funds. But few exceptions have from time to time been made to this general principle and these are set forth in the note above referred to. PAGE File No. 861.48/340 The Minister in Switzerland (Stovall) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] BERNE, July 31, 1917, 11 a. m. 1330. At the request of and expense of Polish General Committee of Vevey, I transmit following telegram addressed to Secretary of State: Referring previous memorandum, take liberty inform you situation Poland becomes daily worse. Closed factories cause all population industrial centers out of work. In the country district situation equally disastrous; no workmen, no animals for transport, no agricultural implements or seed, quarter of land uncultivated. All products of soil monopolized and requisitioned by occupying powers, except small part, insufficient for Polish population, hence extreme penury of articles of food. Famine attacking millions adults and more children. Present generation threatened with destruction unless prompt aid is given. In this terrible crisis our supreme hope is in benevolence of the United States of America. In the name of General Committee, I take liberty to beg you to be our benevolent interpreter to Government of great Republic that she may give Poland same protection as Belgium by sending food in most practical way. To provide food for Poland is duty of occupying powers, but if they do not, that is no reason why millions of innocent Polish victims should perish from famine. Our Committee previously negotiated through Mr. Gerard, United States Ambassador at Berlin, on the subject, but negotiations had no result, German Government having refused to allow Polish population to employ all products of country. Political situation being now changed, take liberty resume question of providing food for Poland which is vital for her future. If American Government gives favorable decision, hope Allies will do utmost to save martyrized Polish population from certain extermination. Since 9th January to 20th July, 1917, Committee collected 17,237,504 francs, the whole of which was sent either in food or cash to Poland. Can give formal assurance nothing requisitioned either passing through Germany or in Poland. Our consignments were passed duty free and addressed committees exclusively Polish. Have received receipts and reports and visits from delegates of committees confirming arrival of our consignments. On 20th April, 1916, German Government gave written guarantee engaging not to requisition our consignments and we hope to induce Swiss Government to place our consignments in charge of Swiss officers, we addressing them to Swiss Consul, Warsaw, who would hand them over to local Polish committees. Delegates from our Committee could also accompany consignments giving every guarantee that they will reach destination unhampered. Relief is given to people all religions. Warsaw feeds more than 300,000 people by public kitchens but provisions now exhausted and no [more in sight.] President Wilson with approval of whole civilized world [stated] important to save present [population] threatened with extermination by famine. Millions of lives to be saved. The United States which since opening of hostilities have given many proofs of generosity will, we hope, fulfill humanitarian duty for Poland as for Belgium, strengthening ties which united Poland to great Republic since war of independence [and winning] profound gratitude of whole nation which will owe its existence to the great and noble American nation. General Polish Committee, President of the Executive Commission, Osuchowski. STOVALL File No. 861.48/305 The Secretary of State to the Treasurer of the Lithuanian National Relief Fund (Sidlauskas) WASHINGTON, August 13, 1917. SIR: With reference to your letter of May 22, 1917, I now beg leave to inform you that according to a decision reached by this Government, based upon exhaustive investigation, this Department is unable to authorize the transmission of funds to Lithuania, either through the Spanish Embassy in Washington or other channels. The Department, however, approves of the transmission of relief funds, if so desired, to the Central Lithuanian Relief Committee in Petrograd for distribution to Lithuanian refugees in Russia, the activities of this Committee having been investigated and found satisfactory. 1Not printed. Should you desire to send funds through this agency, you should forward your draft to the Department, payable to the Disbursing Clerk of the Department of State, together with any lists which you might desire to have accompany the remittances. The Department would then undertake to send such funds and lists to the American Embassy at Petrograd for delivery to the Central Lithuanian Committee above mentioned. I am [etc.] For the Secretary of State: WILLIAM PHILLIPS File No. 012/13876 The Secretary of State to the Polish Victims' Relief Fund WASHINGTON, August 21, 1917. GENTLEMEN: With reference to the Department's letter of July 5,1 and to your reply of July 9,1 I take pleasure in informing you that the Department is now disposed to authorize your organization to undertake the forwarding of general relief funds to Russian Poland through the General Committee for Polish Relief in Vevey, under such conditions and limitations as the Department may from time to time lay down and with due regard to the provisions of any legislation which may now or subsequently be in force. This authorization is furthermore subject to withdrawal at any time. You are requested to inform the Department promptly of all transactions which you may conduct with the Vevey Committee, stating the amount transmitted in every case. Now that the General Committee for Polish Relief in Vevey has been selected as a distributing point for relief funds to the Poles in Russian Poland the Department desires to have some central agency here which would be exclusively recognized as a general clearing house for this class of relief and from which the Department would receive monthly reports of all such funds sent forward. Under these circumstances, the Department would be glad to learn whether it may henceforth regard your organization as such a central agency and whether it may properly refer to you such other organizations and committees as may apply for permission to send relief funds to Russian Poland. Among others, the Maryland Committee for the Relief of Poland's War Victims, Baltimore, "Friends of Poland," Not printed. On Sept. 4 the Polish Victims' Relief Fund replied that it would "gladly undertake the task of acting as such a clearing house." (File No. 861.48/351.) Boston, and the Polish Central War Relief Committee, Chicago, would come into consideration. An expression of your views in this connection would be appreciated. Persons desiring to send remittances to specific individuals in Russian Poland as distinguished from general relief, should be referred to the American Express Co., 65 Broadway, New York, or to Messrs. C. B. Richard & Co., 31 and 33 Broadway, New York, these two firms having been authorized by the Department to undertake this class of work. I am [etc.] ROBERT LANSING File No. 861.48/348 The Secretary of State to the Reverend Nicholas Pidhorecki, of the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church of St. George WASHINGTON, August 23, 1917. SIR: With reference to your letter of July 25,1 with regard to the transmission of relief funds to Ukrainians (Ruthenians) in occupied territory, the Department informs you that for the present it has decided to authorize the American Express Co., 65 Broadway, New York, and Messrs. C. B. Richard & Co., 31 and 33 Broadway, New York, to forward such remittances, under certain conditions and limitations and with due regard to the provisions of present and pending legislation. You are, therefore, advised to communicate with one of these two firms. I am [etc.] For the Secretary of State: WILLIAM PHILLIPS File No. 861.48/350 The Secretary of State to Messrs. C. B. Richard & Co., New York City 2 WASHINGTON, August 24, 1917. GENTLEMEN: With reference to your letter of August 21,1 I take pleasure in informing you that your firm is hereby authorized to undertake the transmission of relief funds to American citizens or 1 Not printed. 2 A similar letter, of which no copy has been found in the files, appears to have been addressed to the American Express Co. See the two foregoing documents. According to letter of Oct. 16 to the American Express Co. (see post, footnote 2, p. 514) the previous one was dated Aug. 21. |