Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, General, Volume I

548.G1/142: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, May 27, 1943—midnight.
[Received May 27—10:25 p.m.]

3657. Mr. Eden asked me and Lord Winterton, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees, to meet him in his office this afternoon in order to go over certain points which he thought our two Governments would like to consider before the meeting of the Executive Committee. He said the invitations were ready to go out to the other members of the Executive Committee, namely, the Argentine, Brazilian and Netherlands Governments (it being agreed that France should be omitted) as soon as the place and time of meeting had been determined. He mentioned he hoped he would hear from us shortly about this on the basis of his note transmitted in my 3415, May 17, 12 midnight.

The points raised by Mr. Eden on which he would like the American Government’s opinion with a view to completing our understanding before the Executive Committee meets were the following:

(1) Shall the Executive Committee, when it meets, invite to the plenary meeting all the original members of the Intergovernmental Committee? With the agreed upon omission of France, the British Government’s opinion was in the affirmative, and Mr. Eden thought that the member Governments would find the invitations acceptable, with the possible exception of Switzerland. He believed in any case that should a sufficient number of member Governments agree, the meeting of the Plenary Committee could then be called.

(2) In order to eliminate the necessity of the Executive Committee first calling together a full meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee with its present membership we felt that the Executive Committee could consult with the Governments as to the final membership of the Plenary Committee to be called in Washington and as to the agenda to be considered. If you approve of this procedure then the question of the Governments to be asked should be agreed upon by the British and ourselves before the Executive Committee meets. The British thought certainly that Russia, Poland, Greece and Yugoslavia also should be invited, and they sought our views with respect to Spain and Portugal.

(3) Where should the headquarters of the Intergovernmental Committee be established? Mr. Eden reiterated the reasons outlined in my 3415, May 17, 12 midnight in favor of the choice of London as the place of meeting of the Executive Committee, but suggested Washington as the place of meeting of the Plenary Committee.

(4) For which category of refugees should the full Intergovernmental Committee be responsible? The British favored the Bermuda Conference formula as set forth in chapter 5 of the conference report,⁵⁶ namely all refugees from religious, racial and political oppression in Axis held countries.

In the course of our conversation Lord Winterton raised the question of the relationship between the Intergovernmental Committee and the League of Nations refugee bodies. Since Sir Herbert Emerson is director of the former and is also League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees there is at present no problem, but should it be decided later to have a younger man replace Sir Herbert the relationship referred to above would need to be considered. Lord Winterton also mentioned that should the headquarters of the Intergovernmental Committee be established in Washington, as he personally hoped it might be, his parliamentary duties in London might make it difficult for him to continue as chairman, and he suggested that he be replaced by an American. Lord Winterton finally raised the point of financing future refugee work. He referred to the funds hitherto largely derived from private Jewish organizations and he suggested that in view of the wider scope recommended by the Bermuda Conference, financing henceforth be made a Government responsibility. No definite opinions were expressed concerning these questions raised by Lord Winterton since we felt they were matters which might more appropriately be taken up later when the Plenary Committee meets in Washington.

With respect to the numbered points set forth above I would be grateful if the Department could give me its views for communication to Mr. Eden as soon as possible, as he believes that a preliminary understanding with us would assist the Executive Committee in drawing up its agenda and proceeding quickly with its work.

Winant

56. Not found in Department files.