340.1115A/512a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Norway (Harriman)
28. Department desires facilitate evacuation Americans with utmost energy. Arrangements being made with Scantic Lines to make available for repatriation purposes freighters, Flying Fish at Bergen and Mormacsea at Trondhjem, each with possible emergency passenger-carrying capacity around 100. Authority will be granted for issuance emergency consular certificates for these vessels under provisions of Department’s circular March 28, 1939, diplomatic serial 3047.5 Department consulting with company regarding passenger rates and will inform you.
Passengers having funds will be expected to bear cost of transportation. Department will grant you allotment for loans to those not having sufficient funds, against promissory notes, in accordance with provisions of the secret memorandum accompanying the Department’s confidential circular of March 21, 1939.6 Loans may only be made to persons whose bona fide American citizenship is fully established but they may be advanced to the American head of a family to cover transportation expenses also for an alien wife and minor unmarried children in such cases as are necessary.
Please telegraph immediately (1) whether use of vessels indicated for repatriation is possible, considering accessibility of Bergen and Trondhjem for evacuation of Americans, (2) probable number of Americans needing repatriation from Norway, (3) your advices as to how you propose to handle repatriation problem, (4) what Department can do here to facilitate your efforts, and (5) estimate of allotment which you desire for making loans to citizens requiring funds for repatriation expenses.