Office of the Historian

340.1115A/1411: Telegram

The Consul General at Amsterdam (Lee) to the Secretary of State

Amsterdam, August 24, 1940.
[Received August 24—8 p.m.]

473. Department’s 187, 22d.51

1.
Not a single exit permit for travel from Netherlands to Lisbon or any other southern European port has been issued to Americans on applications filed since July 18th in spite of the assurances that issuance would probably be resumed beginning “in about 2 or 3 weeks” from that date. Permits were granted readily enough for evacuation via Petsamo on authority from Berlin but unfortunately as Department knows through my 406, 407, and 42952 only 12 could be so evacuated although some 30 actually received the permits. The remaining [Page 162] permits were not valid for traveling south. These questions have had the constant attention of the Consulate General and repeated representations have been made here to local authorities but it is apparent that action must come from Berlin. Therefore I have on several occasions discussed the difficulties by telephone and in my 23 of August 14 to Embassy I urged action with Foreign Office looking towards renewal of a previous similar authority on which permits were granted for travel south. Apparently nothing will be done here without great delay until that is received and Embassy says it will press for action. At present about 47 Americans able to finance journey desire leave while an additional 67 who would go if their alien relatives numbering 53 are issued permits (this latter matter is also receiving Embassy’s attention) there are 15 cases totalling 19 persons of Americans desiring to return but requiring financial assistance in addition to those reported in Benton’s53 257, July 2 and 311, July 4.54 These cases are being reported immediately. There is at present residing in Netherlands total of 57 Americans including 7 rule G cases55 who desire to return but require financial assistance; 69 Americans in same category but who have 66 alien close relatives for whom no immigration visas could be obtained on L P C56 grounds; 18 Americans with 8 alien close relatives who might be expected to obtain immigration visas; a total of 144 Americans in these classifications. Number requiring funds may be expected to increase because of delay in departure, difficulty in obtaining dollar exchange and the increased cost of transportation. The cost of third-class transportation Amsterdam–Lisbon about dollars 90 of which dollars 70 may be paid in guilders. As no minimum rate steamship accommodations available before early October travel agencies estimate subsistence and miscellaneous costs Amsterdam to ship at dollars 80 payable only in foreign currency making total estimate cost journey to Lisbon and awaiting passage dollars 170.
3.
Because of inability obtain funds from United States an increasing number of Americans are becoming destitute and have only been saved from privation by an unofficial fund raised by this office. It is therefore noted with regret that Department is reluctant to approach charitable organizations for relief and is not contemplating despatching another army transport to Europe.

Copy mailed to Berlin.

Lee
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Dated August 3, 5, and 9, respectively; none printed.↩
  3. J. Webb Benton, First Secretary of Legation in the Netherlands.↩
  4. Neither printed.↩
  5. Naturalized American citizens residing abroad longer than periods allowed under the 2d paragraph of Section 2 of the Act of March 2, 1907, if not covered by other exceptions, could apply to the Consul for an American passport under rule G—by giving assurances they were ready to depart immediately and would reside permanently in the United States.↩
  6. Likely to become a public charge.↩