740.00112 European War 1939/10762: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 27—2:17 a.m.]
5610. 1. On August 24 I called again upon Pilet-Golaz who handed me aide-mémoire in reply my memorandum July 31.
2. Reply said Swiss had not and would not authorize transit war materials and Swiss had gone further in prohibiting transit other goods, for instance liquid fuels which although not defined in international law as war materials were of great utility in war operations.
3. Swiss say they have limited transit other goods “having certain importance in conduct of war” to amounts conforming need and activities civilian populations. Reference my 5368 (1461 to London) August 18.1
4. Switzerland has not restricted traffic to “prewar normal currents” because conditions have changed radically from prewar period “rendering therefore a useful comparison between present and prewar traffic uncertain or impossible”; for this reason Switzerland has chosen make distinction between civilian and military traffic.
5. Aide-mémoire states control measures must needs be reconsidered and modified with changing situation and it has always been Switzerland’s own intention to make changes; a change now under consideration will be made known to Legation in due course.
6. Reply adds transit of products “irregularly acquired” subject to increasing severe regulations while distinction between used and new products not hard and fast (“intangible”) and “must not be obstacle to reinforced controls if necessary”. (N. B. March 24 memorandum handed British Minister by Pilet-Golaz stated in part “in general requisitioned goods in particular used articles forbidden transit”.)
7. Aide-mémoire concludes, “It goes without saying that the war as it nears the Alps changes aspect of transit problem and has a bearing upon its solution. For this reason federal authorities keep this problem under constant and careful watch. They have thus been able to observe that traffic in both directions has in general decreased and not increased since spring. In spirit of true neutrality which guides [Page 763] them they will see to it that it follows the trend circumstances demand”.
Comments will follow.
Repeated to London 1532.
- Not printed.↩