701.0090/18a
The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador ( Halifax )
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the British Ambassador and has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of his note no. 201 of March 30, 1942, referring to the Department’s memorandum of February 2739 in which it was suggested that, in [Page 416] view of the possibility that the number of American nationals arriving at Lourenço Marques from the Far East might exceed the capacity of the American vessel immediately available to transport them to the United States, arrangements might be made with the South African Government for the temporary admission into the Union, pending repatriation, of any excess of American nationals.
The Department is glad to learn that the South African Government, having been consulted in the matter, has consented to the temporary admission of officials of the United States and the other American Republics. It is further noted, with appreciation, that the South African Government has also agreed to the temporary admission of private individuals, under certain conditions. The foregoing information has been transmitted in detail to the Governments of the other American Republics concerned, and they will doubtless make the necessary guarantees with regard to their own nationals direct to the South African Government. The United States Government will endeavor to communicate the approximate numbers of nationals of the United States and the other American Republics as soon as that information becomes available, but it will be realized that this information may not be available before the exchange vessels reach Lourenço Marques.
For its own part, the United States Government does not, at this time, expect that it will be necessary to call upon the South African Government to admit temporarily any of the United States nationals, Canadian and nationals of other American Republics being evacuated from Japan. Nevertheless, this Government hereby guarantees that (a) it will be responsible for the maintenance and the repatriation of its nationals who may enter in the Union in pursuance of this arrangement, (b) individual United States nationals will not be authorized to take up employment in the Union while awaiting repatriation, and (c) all such United States nationals will leave at the first available opportunity either for the United States or some other country and this Government will accept the responsibility of making arrangements to that end.
The number of Americans sent to the Union of South Africa will be as small as possible, and, as stated in the preceding paragraph, it is quite possible that no persons whatever will be sent. However, should the situation require that the Union’s offer of hospitality be accepted, full information with regard to the approximate numbers involved will be furnished with the greatest possible despatch.
A copy of this note is being transmitted to the American Legation at Pretoria for communication to the South African Government.
- Neither printed.↩