740.00114 European War 1939/3614: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:30 p.m.]
968. From Murphy. Reference Department’s 372, March 2, 6 p.m., my 578 [587], April 8, 10 p.m. and 792, May 5, 9 p.m. Archbishop [Page 957] Spellman telegraphed me from Istanbul May 15 that the Vatican informs him difficulties continue concerning reception of information about prisoners of war taken in Algeria and Tunisia. He proposed that General Eisenhower furnish carbon copies of lists given to Red Cross, to the Apostolic Delegate at Cairo asking British to favor him use of telegraph facilities from there to Vatican. Archbishop added that Vatican continues to telegraph the names of American prisoners in Italy and Japan.
I discussed the matter with General Eisenhower who recalled that the War Department has declined to permit him to release names to anyone, requiring that all transmissions of names of prisoners be made by Washington in the manner provided by the Geneva Convention.
The Archbishop of Tunis has submitted to the Army here for transmission through the Vatican a list of names which he has gathered of prisoners of war taken by Allied forces in Tunisia together with a number of personal messages from prisoners on Vatican forms. General Eisenhower is submitting to the War Department the question of whether these properly can be transmitted except through Washington and after the official lists of prisoners have been transmitted under the Geneva Convention procedure.
These two incidents appear to make desirable early decision on the whole question of operation of the Vatican Information Service in this area, defining precisely the scope of its activity.
Pending your advice I am merely acknowledging Archbishop Spellman’s telegram and informing him the matter is being referred to Washington for consideration. [Murphy.]