840.48 Refugees/828a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Germany (Wilson)
179. We feel that the time has come for you to make an informal approach to the German Government on the refugee problem with a view to paving the way for an eventual visit of Rublee to Berlin. Henderson and François-Poncet40 are being similarly instructed. We leave to you the decision as to the most opportune moment and the most effective manner of presentation, except that we would not favor anything resembling a joint démarche. Your approach should be along the following general lines.
“The present racial policy of the German Government, insofar as it is forcing great numbers of people from Germany into other countries, presents a problem in which this and other Governments have a direct interest. The German Government in forcing these persons to precipitate empty-handed flight, cannot be unmindful of the great burdens which it is thereby imposing on its neighbors and on other more distant [Page 800] nations which, from humanitarian considerations, are doing what they can to meet this problem.
“Although the German racial policy has perhaps done as much harm as any other to the estimate of Germany held by public opinion in this country regardless of class, race or creed, the Intergovernmental Committee on Political Refugees has scrupulously avoided any emotional or critical approach to the refugee problem and is on the contrary seeking a strictly practical solution. It would seem only reasonable to anticipate that the German Government should assist the other Governments upon which this problem has been forced by relaxing the pressure upon these people sufficiently to permit the arrangement of orderly emigration and by permitting them to take with them a reasonable percentage of their property.
“Thus direct contact between Mr. Rublee and the German authorities should prove of mutual value. Mr. Rublee should be in a position to give the German Government authoritative information as to the number of refugees who might be admitted for settlement by various governments; conversely he might well be able to persuade many of these countries to accept greater numbers if he had a clearer idea of the extent to which the German Government was prepared to cooperate.
“It is the sincere desire of the Governments represented on the Committee to assist the German Government where they can, in a manner consistent with their laws and interests, in finding a method of ending a situation which has given rise to so much international rancor and to so much suffering.”
- André François-Poncet, French Ambassador in Germany.↩