Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1938, General, Volume I

840.48 Refugees/805½

Memorandum of Trans-Atlantic Telephone Conversation³⁵

Washington, October 10, 1938, 10:20 a.m.

. . . . . . .³⁶

Mr. Rublee: I have seen it here through the Embassy.³⁷

Mr. Welles: The main point is that no step should be taken either by yourself or anybody in your organization until the Ambassadors in Berlin have an opportunity to sound out the situation.

Mr. Rublee: I agree with that but I think they ought to do it immediately.

Mr. Welles: I quite agree. That is our own point of view here. You can be positive that steps in that sense will be taken immediately.

Mr. Rublee: I submitted a basic report. I am sending you a copy through the pouch. It is very important at this phase that the British Empire should make a real contribution. They have shown me in confidence a statement which they propose to submit. They must be persuaded to take the matter more seriously. This can only be done through Ambassador Kennedy. I mean, I cannot do much with them. The President’s message was very useful. Unfortunately it came just as the Prime Minister was leaving London and was communicated to him in the form of a note. The Prime Minister called the Ambassador and spoke casually about it but it evidently had not made a very big impression. I want to say this very confidentially. I have the impression, in the first place, that the British Foreign Office is definitely against it. Lord Halifax thinks that the …³⁸ would like to smother it. We have that to counteract. My impression is that Ambassador Kennedy is not disposed to take a strong line. He feels that our undertaking is hopeless. He does not want to go out on it because he has other matters he considers more important. I don’t think it is hopeless, but it is very difficult.

Mr. Welles: I am entirely in accord with you. I think undoubtedly we can do something helpful by speaking emphatically to the British Ambassador here.

Mr. Rublee: Ambassador Kennedy is personally sympathetic but he feels he cannot do anything.

Mr. Welles: We will have to do something at this end along this line. We will take the necessary steps to start work at Berlin, and with regard to the other matter I will see the British Ambassador and speak to him.

35. Between Mr. Rublee in London and Under Secretary of State Welles in Washington, October 10, 1938, 10:20 a.m.
36. Omission indicated in the original.
37. Presumably a reference to the exchange of correspondence between President Roosevelt and the British Prime Minister.
38. Apparently a break in telephone connection at this point.