840.48 Refugees/3557: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Matthews) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 28—8:36 p.m.]
7390. Reference Department’s 6434, 18th. For the Honorable Myron Taylor from Sir Herbert Emerson.
“Many thanks for message received through Embassy.
Regarding refugees now in North Africa I appreciate position as stated. I hope representative of Governor Lehman will be able to [Page 481] report at an early date and that in general problem of relief he will pay due attention to refugee questions. I also hope he will be able to recommend entry of approved representatives of voluntary organizations. If carefully selected such persons can be of real assistance to military and civil authorities and would not embarrass them.
Second. Urgent problem is that of refugees now in Spain and Portugal. Only a portion of total are Germans and Austrians and proportion of these to total escapes is likely progressively to decrease. Problem therefore exceeds beyond mandate of Intergovernmental Committee and is general one of saving Jews and others who can still be saved. Following Declaration of United Nations of 17th December49 this question has aroused widespread public interest and sympathy in this country and doubtless in America. So far as Western Europe is concerned opportunities of getting persons out confined at present to Spain and Portugal. My personal views, which I have strongly expressed to British Government, are as follows: First, Declaration of United Nations if not followed by such action as practicable to save persons is a mockery; second, definite obligation rests on United Nations jointly to do what is practicable to this end; third, owing to transport difficulties and inevitable delay in normal procedure I still think refugee clearance camp in North Africa to be most promising plan. But I fully realize that it must be subject to military considerations and also to concurrence of French civil authorities. I hope it will not be dismissed as impracticable without full and sympathetic consideration; fourth, failing this plan it seems to me only alternative is for United Nations to give permanent or a temporary asylum in own territories getting such help as possible from neutral countries. But unless United Nations give lead it is useless to ask other countries to help; fifth, fully appreciate what United States purposes to do but my information obtained from Schwartz50 now in London is that number of children involved likely to be very small. Urgent problem is that of adults. Here practical question is how far procedure can be speeded up. Understand normally it takes from 6 to 10 months and to meet urgency of problem exceptional measures are necessary; sixth, only other practical measure for rescue in Western Europe is assurance to Switzerland regarding intention of United Nations to deal with refugees after the war. Have made detailed suggestions to the British Government which I understand have been communicated to Washington. Emerson.”