Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1940, General and Europe, Volume II

340.1115A/1644a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Matthews)

Washington, December 3, 1940—5 p.m.

790. Please repeat following to Embassy Paris and Consulate General Marseille.

1. American Red Cross and Department are supplying funds for repatriation by Department’s officers of destitute Americans now in France, with the understanding that neither the Red Cross nor the Department can undertake to maintain those refusing the opportunity now offered them to return to the United States and choosing to remain abroad. Red Cross funds which have been made available to the Embassy at Paris and the Consulate General at Marseille are to be used for transportation expenses of the repatriates to Lisbon where they will await the obtaining of transportation for them to the United States by the Consul at Lisbon. The Consul at Lisbon is being allotted Red Cross funds for temporary maintenance of repatriates at Lisbon while awaiting transportation. Department is allotting him funds for payment of their steamship transportation and he will pay the necessary amounts therefrom as loans against promissory notes in accordance with existing instructions. The persons concerned will be requested to sign the notes at Lisbon as transportation is obtained for them. They will not be expected to repay the Red Cross funds used for their transportation to Lisbon and maintenance there awaiting transportation. Department has instructed Consul at Lisbon to utilize lowest priced accommodations available on board American or other neutral shipping lines. Each person accepting this Red Cross and Departmental assistance should be informed accordingly before proceeding to Lisbon. It is desirable that the repatriates should await transportation at Lisbon rather than in France in order that they may take advantage of shipping accommodations whenever the Consul at Lisbon can obtain them and because they should leave France, under present conditions, as soon as possible. Accordingly, they should be routed to Lisbon as soon as their cases are individually acted upon, the Consul at Lisbon being notified promptly in advance of each arrival so that he may make arrangements for lodging at Lisbon and transportation reservations.

2. Only bona fide citizens not resting under unrebutted presumption, together with such alien spouses and unmarried minor children⁸¹ properly documented under the immigration laws for admission into the United States as may accompany them, are to be repatriated under these arrangements.

3. Cases arising at other offices in occupied France will be referred by the Consuls concerned to the Embassy at Paris with recommendation for the necessary funds which the Embassy will furnish upon approving the recommendation. Similarly, cases arising at other offices in unoccupied France will be referred to the Consulate General at Marseille.

4. The Red Cross has authorized its representative at Paris to furnish funds to the Embassy as required. The Consulate General at Marseille has Red Cross funds on hand which are to be utilized for repatriation purposes as indicated and may telegraph Department for further Red Cross funds when needed. Under no circumstances, however, are obligations or commitments to be undertaken in excess of funds actually on hand. Red Cross funds received through Department should be accounted for in accordance with Section V–8, Note 1, Foreign Service Regulations. Red Cross funds received locally from Red Cross representatives should be taken up on Form 334 as special deposits.

5. As the Consul at Lisbon is being furnished with Red Cross funds for temporary maintenance of repatriates at Lisbon awaiting transportation, repatriates will only be furnished with transportation from France to Lisbon and minimum of incidental traveling expenses. Officers concerned will take every possible precaution to insure that transportation funds provided are used for that purpose, obtaining and furnishing transportation orders rather than advancing money therefor, whenever and as far as possible. They will, of course, also see to it that the repatriates have the necessary visas or other permits for their journey through to Lisbon.

6. It is expected that officers will exercise every care to keep disbursements at lowest possible minimum, with thorough investigation made in each case to determine that applicant does not possess or cannot obtain funds otherwise to provide all or part of his repatriation expenses. Those who can pay any part of such expenses should, of course, be required to do so.

7. Officers will immediately consider the application of these arrangements to the cases of needy Americans within their respective districts, affording all such persons opportunity to take advantage of the offer with the statement that they must do so immediately and that if they choose instead to remain in France neither the Red Cross nor the Department can be expected justly to provide support for them there. There must be no circularization or advertisement of this offer which is intended solely to provide necessary means for immediate removal from France to the United States of bona fide Americans in destitute circumstances whose continued stay in France under present conditions there would be embarrassing to the local authorities and to this Government.

8. This offer will remain open only until January 31, 1941. At the end of December and again at the end of January the Department desires a prompt airmail report from the Embassy at Paris and the Consulate General at Marseille listing the names of the persons who have been repatriated under these arrangements, giving the ages of accompanying children, nationality of accompanying alien spouses and children and addresses in United States.

9. Embassy Paris and Consulate General Marseille will advise offices in their respective areas of these arrangements. Department will be glad to receive and consider any suggestion in modification of these arrangements for their improvement.

Hull

81. In response to an inquiry from the Consul General at Marseille, the Department replied in telegram No. 1311, December 23, that this instruction did not contemplate inclusion of adopted alien children in the repatriation plan (340.1115A/1686).