340.1115A/1681a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Matthews)
857. Please repeat following to Embassy Paris and Consulate General Marseille for immediate circularization to all offices in France.
Telegrams from the offices in France relating to the number of Americans whom it is proposed to repatriate under the arrangements indicated in the Department’s 790 December 3, 5 p.m. to Vichy and to certain categories of persons to be included, have caused the Department to become apprehensive that the officers in France are not sufficiently investigating the right of persons applying to them for repatriation to receive, as bona fide American citizens, the assistance afforded by the arrangements, and not extending the benefit of the arrangements only to such persons whose right thereto is fully established. The Department’s telegram of December 3 placed that responsibility upon the Department’s officers alone, as was agreed upon with the Bed Cross officials here. The telegram in paragraph 2 clearly stated that the repatriation privilege was to be accorded only to bona fide citizens not resting under unrebutted presumption, together with such alien spouses and unmarried minor children properly documented under the immigration laws for admission into the United States as may accompany them. Persons resting under unrebutted presumption may not be afforded the benefit of the arrangements including the loan of Government funds to qualify under Rule G. Bona fide citizens are those citizens who are in complete and unquestioned possession of their citizenship rights, including the right to passports and the full protection of this Government, who have ties in the United States and who have continually held themselves out while abroad as American citizens and are in every way identifiable as such. They are citizens temporarily abroad desiring to return home. They are not persons merely possessing some circumstantial claim to American citizenship which they have not validated by residence and maintenance of ties in the United States and by truly identifying themselves abroad as bona fide citizens of the United States. The affording of transportation to the United States to the latter class of destitute persons, particularly with the aid of funds of this Government, would undoubtedly cause just public criticism of the action and is not the intent of the Department. Each and every officer concerned will take careful note of these instructions [Page 183] and be prepared to give the Department evidence as may be desired by it of his compliance therewith in any case which he should pass for repatriation.