701.6510/69: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
916. On April 3 Embassy Eome telegraphed in the sense of your 1388, April 7. Department replied as follows:75
“Department notes that Italian Government is willing to repatriate Father Woolf in return for those Italian subjects under arrest or detention in United States and other American Republics who are included in definite list of repatriable Italians yet to be provided by Prince Colonna. Department is pleased to agree in principle with this provision and will be disposed to repatriate these persons on one of the voyages of the S. S. Drottningholm.
Please inform Italian Foreign Office that United States Government has no intention to attempt to place on S. S. Drottningholm on its first voyage all Axis officials and nationals to be repatriated as number to be repatriated now exceeds by far capacity of any single vessel. It is expected to make at least two trips of this vessel and United States Government hereby gives formal assurance that all Italian nationals whose repatriation has been assented to will be accommodated on one or another of the trips of this vessel.
It is hoped within a few days to inform Italian and associated governments of the course of Drottningholm from New York to Lisbon.
Regarding your last sentence Department is unaware of any lack of agreement with Prince Colonna regarding baggage of officials. United States Government has consented to shipment of all personal effects of Italian official party and to subsequent shipment by commercial means of household effects. No upper or lower limits on effects to accompany individuals has been fixed and so far as is now known there will be ample space for all trunks and handbaggage of the Italian party. With respect to non-officials those arriving from other American Republics will be permitted to take with them all the baggage which they have brought here. Italian non-officials departing [Page 356] from this country will be permitted to embark personal effects to extent normally permitted on commercial vessels on New York–Lisbon run.”
As mentioned in the above quoted telegram the Department is unable to accede definitely to the wishes of the Italian Government that a second vessel be used as this Government must carry on a simultaneous and extensive repatriation of Japanese nationals from this hemisphere. This Government reiterates its formal assurance that all Italian nationals whose repatriation has been assented to will be accommodated on one or another of the trips of the Drottningholm or any other appropriate vessel available.
- Telegram No. 104, April 7, 1942.↩