[Enclosure]
Memorandum by the Second Secretary of Embassy in
Mexico (O’Donoghue)
Conference
| Present: |
The Ambassador |
|
British Minister |
|
Polish Minister |
|
Señor Manuel Tello, Oficial Mayor |
|
Counselor of Polish Legation |
|
Lic. Aguilar Alvarez, Foreign Office |
|
Representative of Gobernación |
|
Mr. Cheetham, British Legation |
|
Mr. Kelly |
|
Mr. O’Donoghue |
A Conference in connection with the Polish Refugee question was held at
the Foreign Office at 11 a.m. on April 5, the above-named individuals
being present. Señor Tello opened the discussion by stating that he had
been instructed by the Foreign Minister to say that Mexico welcomed this
opportunity to engage in a humanitarian enterprise such as the locating
of Polish refugees in Mexico, and that to this end he thought it would
be helpful to have some information as to the number of refugees who
might be coming in the first group, and what the group would be composed
of.
The Ambassador then said that he understood 500 Polish refugees are now
at Bombay and ready to sail for the United States and that a further
group of between 1,000 and 1,500 were presently in Iran and ready to
leave that country for India upon the receipt of instructions to do so.
Mr. Messersmith said that the question of transporting
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these individuals to the United States was
one which he believed was in the hands of the army, using army
transports; that these vessels had to make hurried voyages back to the
United States and he believed that if they were transporting refugees
they would like to take as many as the ships could carry; that is up to
approximately 2,000 refugees per vessel. However, he had no definite
information as to the number which might be coming on the first
trip.
Señor Tello then said that the Ministry of Gobernación had selected the
State of Guanajuato as the site for the location of the refugees and he
suggested, therefore, that a representative from the Foreign Office and
from Gobernación should proceed immediately, or as soon as an
appointment could be arranged, to Guanajuato to interview the Governor,
and to ascertain from him where he proposed to settle the refugees.
The British Minister here broke in to say that he thought the entire
Committee should immediately proceed to Guanajuato since it was a
question of urgency more especially as “five months have been wasted”
since the matter was first broached to the Mexican Government; that
these refugees would shortly be arriving here and numerous plans and
possibly much construction work would have to be undertaken. He added
that in a conversation which he, the Ambassador and the Polish Minister
had had with the Undersecretary of State not long since, the
Undersecretary said that the sites had already been selected by the
Governor.
Señor Tello then said that that had been his impression also, but that he
had just learned that actually the Governor had nothing particular in
mind, and he thought therefore that it would be best to send the
representatives of the Foreign Office and the Ministry of the Interior
to Guanajuato to confer with the Governor and when the several sites had
been determined upon, to send for the other members of the Committee,
consisting of representatives of the Polish and British Legations and
the Embassy.
The representative of Gobernación said that he would be glad to get in
touch with the Governor immediately and if the Governor could receive
him and the representative of the Foreign Office tomorrow, they would
immediately proceed to Guanajuato. He went on to state that the Ministry
of Gobernación had had considerable experience in locating large refugee
groups particularly some 15,000 Spanish refugees and that once the site
had been selected, plans regarding the, building and construction
repairs would not be too difficult.
The Ambassador then said that he understood that there were in Guanajuato
several large haciendas on each of which several hundred
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refugees might be comfortably placed and
where there were already standing buildings which would need only a
minimum amount of repair in order to be habitable, and he hoped that
perhaps something like this could be found and that it would be best, if
it did not turn out to be feasible to place the first group of refugees
in one center, that they could be placed with the minimum degree of
separation He also felt that for purposes of morale and health that it
would be best if such sites as were determined upon should also have a
small amount of land—say from 8 to 10 hectares—where the refugees could
do a certain amount of garden planting and also raise chickens and other
food products which would not only give them something to do, but which
would also keep down expenses. The Ambassador also stressed that it was
not the intention of this group of refugees to engage in any employment
in competition with Mexicans, but that such work as they might undertake
would be solely in connection with the refugee center.
The representative of Gobernación agreed with the Ambassador respecting
the necessity for the refugees to have a certain amount of ground and
added that it would also be helpful if he could have some indication as
to the nature of accommodation which should be provided for them.
In reply to this latter question the Polish Minister said that he
understood that the great majority of these refugees were of the peasant
type; that even though they have undergone considerable hardships to
date, this did not mean that the Polish Government wished them to have
any special accommodations provided; if simple middle class
accommodations and facilities are available, they would be more than
satisfied.
After certain further general discussion the meeting adjourned at noon,
it having been decided that the representative of Gobernación would
immediately endeavor to telephone to the Governor of Guanajuato to
arrange an appointment with him, after which he would communicate with
Señor Tello when the representatives of Relaciones and Gobernación would
go to Guanajuato where the other members of the Committee would
presumably join them some two days later. It seemed to be the opinion
that all things being equal, the non-Mexican members of the Committee
would go to Guanajuato on or about April 8th.
Sidney E. O’Donoghue
Mexico, April 5,
1943.
