Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1940, The British Commonwealth, The Soviet Union, The Near East and Africa, Volume III

867N.55/215: Telegram

The Consul General at Jerusalem (Wadsworth) to the Secretary of State

Jerusalem, December 2, 1940—10 a.m.
[Received December 3—1:30 a.m.]

175. Supplementing my telegram No. 165 of November 20, noon.

(1) On that afternoon the expected official announcement was made here that the illegal immigrants in question numbering 1,771 and any similar parties which might reach Palestine in the future would be deported and detained in a British colony for the duration of the war. The Jewish protest strike was generally observed but without marked enthusiasm, largely because of dissension among Jewish leaders, many of whom had argued that overt action against British authority in wartime could but harm the Zionist cause.

(2) On November 22, when preparations for the sailing of the Patria on November 24 were all but complete, word was received that the 700–ton Panamanian steamship Atlantic carrying some 1900 more Jewish refugees from Rumania had been picked up by British naval patrol in Cyprus waters and held at Larnaca. I am informed confidentially that the Governor of Cyprus declined, because of unsanitary conditions on board, to permit its remaining there even temporarily. On the 24th it was brought into Haifa harbor, the sailing of the Patria being delayed to permit the transfer thereto of some 500 of its passengers.

(3) The following morning, after some 100 such transfers had been made, an explosion occurred aboard the Patria which caused it to sink in 15 minutes, port boats performed excellent rescue work. Of the approximately 1900 refugees on board, 30 are known to have drowned and 2 died in hospital, some 200 are missing, and the others, except for 13 reported to have escaped from Hadassah Hospital have been interned in detention camps. Of the missing the majority are also believed to have escaped. One British policeman and a ship’s officer were also lost. The remaining Atlantic passengers who were to have been deported aboard a converted freighter have also been detained.

(4) I am assured by the Chief Secretary that the sinking has in no way caused the Government to modify its policy, but that some time must elapse before new arrangements for deportation can be made. Official circles are unanimous in condemning the act as a rank flouting of Government authority outstandingly serious in the light of conditions and increasing shortage of shipping. Responsible Jewish opinion recognizes the force of this view, and the Jewish Agency and other national institutions hotly deny any complicity.

(5) Although suggestions of fifth column sabotage are heard, there is general concurrence that some Jewish group is responsible. Several persons were seen to jump from the ship just before the explosion occurred. A revisionist or labor federation extremist youth group is naturally most suspect. A general staff political intelligence officer has commented categorically to me in this sense, adding that he believed the explosive was taken aboard as the vessel was coaling. However, the Government official in direct charge of frontier control tells me informally “there is not a shred of direct evidence”. Both believe it improbable that the Navy will permit any vessel carrying these refugees to transit the Suez Canal.

Wadsworth