840.48 Refugees/911: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
London, November 17, 1938—3
p.m.
[Received November 17—12:35 p.m.]
[Received November 17—12:35 p.m.]
1325. From Rublee. I had a long conversation with Winterton this morning and am to have a further meeting with Winterton and Mac-Donald56 this afternoon.
- 1.
- Winterton said that events had been moving very rapidly in the last few days with respect to an Anglo-American plan for settling and financing the settlement of involuntary emigrants. He seemed to assume that I was conversant with the details of the plan and I let him assume this although in fact I only know what I have read in the newspapers. In any event he said that the details would be formally communicated to me at the meeting this evening, although he was able to say at this point that great progress had been made. Specifically he mentioned the fact that British Guiana would probably be opened to settlement though of course much would depend upon the financing of the immigrants who would be sent to that undeveloped country. He hoped that our Government would be in a position to make a substantial contribution and announce this contribution very shortly.
- 2.
- He was agreeable to holding the meeting of the officers of the Intergovernmental Committee on November 28 and 29. In anticipation of the meeting he would invite the Argentine and Brazilian Ambassadors to meet with him and to serve as vice chairmen. This meeting will be carefully prepared by the Foreign Office and it was hoped that the difficulty with regard to the Latin American vice chairmanship would in this way be finally overcome.
- 3.
- Winterton felt that the agenda of the meeting should be carefully prepared and said that he would welcome any suggestions in this respect which we might wish to make.
- 4.
- With regard to the negotiations with Germany, the indications were that a meeting of experts might now be arranged in some neutral place where the question of transfer might be discussed and the Germans given some indication of the facilities at the command of the Committee for the settlement of refugees. Winterton said that the [Page 828] British Government would be willing to assign to me for the period of the technical discussions an expert from the British Treasury in the same capacity as Pell, this would preserve the international character of the Committee and give me the necessary technical assistance. In general it was the British view that we should attempt to elicit proposals from the Germans rather than make proposals to the Germans. I said I thoroughly agreed with this procedure and that I had put forward certain ideas merely in order to discover what the pitfalls were, from the standpoint of the British and American Governments, which I should avoid.
- 5.
- Winterton said that he felt that when the British Government had announced its contribution in conjunction with the contribution that the United States would make, a special effort should be directed by both Governments towards breaking the log jam with the Latin American Governments. He thought that it might be necessary for the diplomatic missions of both Governments to support any effort which we might make here and that the first step might be taken at the meeting of officers of the Committee.
- 6.
- I reported the fact to Winterton that Mr. Taylor had had a conversation with MacKenzie King. He said that he had been talking to Massey57 about this matter, and in order that wires might not be crossed he would appreciate being informed in confidence of the nature of Mr. Taylor’s conversation.
- 7.
- With respect to a public statement or appeal to the countries of settlement mentioned in the last paragraph of your 705, November 16, noon, Winterton mentioned the fact that he had been invited to make a broadcast to the United States in the near future. He would make this in the form of a statement and appeal which could be released to the press and sent to Latin America. It seemed to him that this might serve the purpose which you have in mind.
- 8.
- I shall telegraph immediately the results of the conversation with Winterton and MacDonald this afternoon. [Rublee.]
Kennedy