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  4. Document 251

740.00115 European War 1939/215: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State

Paris, January 10, 1940—5 p.m.
[Received January 10—4:40 p.m.]

48. Following telegram has been sent to Berlin:

In reply to the proposals contained in the German notes of December 7 and 16 to the Swedish Government86 and the German memorandum of December 12 to your mission87 the Foreign Office in a note dated January 6 communicated its desire to reach an accord embracing the following points:

(1)
A general exchange of all females whatever their age and those male children under 15 years who are in a position to be repatriated and who themselves or whose parents or legal guardians so desire.
(2)
A person-for-person exchange of those male children 15 and 16 years of age who are in a position to be repatriated from the Embassy whose parents or legal guardians so desire.
(3)
A person-for-person exchange of men over 60 years who are in a position to be repatriated and so desire.
(4)
A general exchange of all cripples and the incurably sick.
(5)
The exchange would apply to French nationals of the above categories now in Bohemia, Moravia, and German-occupied Poland.
(6)
The exchange would apply to German nationals of the above categories in French overseas possessions including mandated territories and to French nationals natives of these territories now in Germany, Bohemia, Moravia and German-occupied Poland.

Furthermore the Foreign Office wishes to ascertain the German intentions as to the practical aspects of the exchanges, particularly the financial one. The Foreign Office points out that in order to meet the German proposals the original French proposals have been broadened by making the exchange of women general instead of person-for-person and by lowering the age limit on old men from 65 to 60. It earnestly desires that an accord be reached in the shortest possible time on the above points which it regards as preliminary to possible future agreements embracing other categories of civilians.

Copy and translation of note by next courier.88

Bullitt
  1. Neither printed.↩
  2. See telegram of December 18, 1939, 9 a.m., from the Chargé in the United Kingdom, Foreign Relations, 1939, vol. i, p. 655.↩
  3. Not printed.↩