840.48/3208: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 27—10:53 a.m.]
253. The Chairman of the Contraband Committee of the Ministry of Economic Warfare has just called me to say that he is greatly concerned about messages which are coming in considerable number from the British Embassy in Washington regarding the facilitation of passage for Red Cross supplies for Poland. Lord Drogheda said that none of the information the British authorities require is being furnished in connection with these shipments which are accompanied only by a declaration from German authorities which he says the British consider of “absolutely no value whatever”. He said that the contraband authorities are not only willing but glad to facilitate the passage of any supplies which it can be known will go only to destitute Poles and will not fall into the hands of the Germans. They must therefore be assured that the supplies will in fact be delivered and distributed by the American Red Cross Committee. He referred in this connection to his letter to me of December 27 quoted in my telegram 2746, December 29, 7 p.m.,4 in which he said the British views for procedure in clearing Red Cross supplies were laid down. He pointed out that no reply had been received to that letter and urged that consideration be given to the matter as soon as possible.
I told Lord Drogheda that I would of course telegraph what he had said but that I had no information in regard to the Red Cross shipments he referred to.
May I suggest that Mr. Norman Davis be advised of the foregoing.
- Not printed.↩