ARMY & NAVY: How to Send Mail to Japan

Anxious relatives and friends of war prisoners in the Far East got cheering news last week from the American Red Cross: Japan, as a party to the Geneva Convention of 1929 (about treatment of prisoners of war), will permit “officially listed” prisoners and interned U.S. civilians to receive mail from this country via the International Red Cross Committee in Geneva.

Letters to prisoners of war will be handled postage-free. They should list, after the recipient’s name, his military title and branch of service, “formerly of” (Shanghai, Manila, Wake, Guam, etc.), and the identifying phrase: “American Prisoner in Japan, c/o International Red Cross Committee, Geneva, Switzerland.” In the space for postage stamps should be written, “Prisoner of War Mail, Postage Free.” Similar procedure is followed with mail for interned civilians but, pending appropriate regulations, full postage will be required.

Would-be letter writers were warned that: 1) only mail for individuals appearing on the official lists released by the Provost Marshal General can be forwarded; 2) arrangements have not yet been made for sending packages or money to either prisoners or internees.