340.1115A/699: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 26—10:05 a.m.]
886. Your 485, 25th. It seems to me that something more specific should now be offered to the two hundred odd Americans waiting in the Bordeaux area for transportation than the advice that our Government is still considering the possibility of diverting freighters or other vessels to either Bordeaux or Bilbao for the purpose of their evacuation. May I inquire whether the S. S. President Roosevelt is completely booked by Americans planning to sail from Galway, and if not, whether it would not be possible to divert the S. S. President Roosevelt to Bordeaux. The stream of refugees pouring into southwestern France renders the situation of our nationals awaiting sailing in the Bordeaux area extremely uncomfortable to say the least. Traffic over the Spanish frontier is rigidly controlled and visas are granted after considerable delay and in most cases only for transit. In my opinion whenever [whatever?] ship or ships our Government in the immediate future sends for the repatriation of our citizens in the southwest of France should put into the port of Bordeaux thus avoiding the complications of crossing into Spanish territory. Waterman concurs.