Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

840.48 Refugees/3126

Memorandum by Mr. Edward T. Wailes of the Division of European Affairs

[Washington,] September 16, 1942.

Mr. Chapdelaine of the Canadian Legation³² phoned me today and said that the authorities in Ottawa has been approached by some Jewish Refugee Organizations to permit the entry into Canada of a thousand Jewish children from unoccupied France. Mr. Chapdelaine said that his Government would greatly appreciate an indication of whether we had been approached on the same subject and, if so, what we expected to do about it.

After talking with Mr. Atherton,³³ who consulted Mr. Long,³⁴ I informed Mr. Chapdelaine in strict confidence that we had been approached on this subject and found that as a result of some special measures, the details of which I was not familiar with, we would be able to take temporarily up to 1,000 of these children. I emphasized strongly the fact that these refugees were children.

Mr. Chapdelaine inquired whether we were planning to waive the visa requirements or just how we were bringing them in and I said frankly that I didn’t know the details but if I should learn them I would let him know.

32. Jean Chapdelaine, Third Secretary.
33. Ray Atherton, Acting Chief of the Division of European Affairs.
34. Breckinridge Long, Assistant Secretary of State.