Office of the Historian

740.00115A P.W./9–3044: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

Bern, September 30, 1944—1 p.m.
[Received 1:32 p.m.]

6514. American Interests—China. Department’s 3187, September 14.5 Note September 25 from Foreign Office refers contents Legation’s 6304, September 23,5 and adds that rate obtained transmission funds Shanghai amounts approximately 9.18 Swiss francs for 100 CRB dollars which is more favorable rate than that referred to numbered paragraph 4 Legation’s 4933, August l.6

In recent telegram Swiss Legation, Tokyo, reports no official reply made by Japanese Foreign Office to Swiss representative regarding deblocking 9,000,000 CRB dollars frozen Shanghai. Minister Gorgé personally intervened again with Foreign Office which gave to understand that serious difficulties face solution. In hope Japanese authorities might deblock funds for other use than administration expenses or payment financial relief, Swiss Foreign Office suggested that Gorgé propose to Japanese utilization blocked funds for partial payment clothing, shoes, medicaments, food, et cetera, which must be delivered camps as stated Legation’s 6304.

Harrison
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Not printed; numbered paragraph 4 mentioned no specific exchange rate but stated that negotiations with Japan to reduce the exchange rate were continuing and that the Swiss Foreign Office hoped agreement would be reached shortly (711.93114A/8–144).↩