840.48 Refugees/651: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Costa Rica (Hornibrook)63
46. Your despatch 360, August 6, 1938.64 Please obtain an early interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and leave with him a communication concerning the present situation with respect to political refugees in Europe. You should state that you would appreciate having the comment of his Government at the earliest convenient moment in order that you may advise your Government. Please report by telegram upon the results of your interview and telegraph any subsequent reply received from the Foreign Minister. The text of the communication you are to present follows:
“I have the honor to refer to Your Excellency’s note of July 30, 1938,65 in which you kindly stated that, while your Government was unable to be represented on the Intergovernmental Committee on Political Refugees owing to the fact that it had no diplomatic representative at London, your Government continued warmly sympathetic toward the purposes of the Committee.
[Here follow quoted paragraphs numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 in Department’s circular telegram of November 22, noon, printed supra.]
The Government of the United States considers it pertinent to point out that this appeal is made on broad humanitarian grounds and that those who are affected, regardless of race or religious belief, have not been free to think their own thoughts, to express their own feelings or to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences. The republics of this hemisphere, which were founded in defense of essential human liberties, cannot but view with sympathy the opportunity to take constructive action to meet the present situation.
The Government of the United States expresses the urgent hope that Your Excellency’s Government may find it possible to be represented [Page 839] at the December meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee and to take an active part in that meeting. Should your Government not find it convenient to be represented, the representative of the United States would be most happy to convey to the Committee any statement which your Government may wish to make.”
Many countries may be prepared to accept larger numbers of involuntary emigrants than they are willing publicly to admit. It is desired that the Governments represented on the Committee make specific public statements of the numbers they will accept, which will be of value not only in providing actual opportunities for settlement but also as an example to other Governments. It is nevertheless desired to leave open the possibility for any Government which wishes to do so to make an additional strictly confidential statement of what it is prepared to do. You are requested to convey the substance of this paragraph orally to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
You should also advise the Minister for Foreign Affairs that similar communications are being delivered to the Governments of all American Republics represented on the Committee.