851R.00/463a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Algiers (Wiley)
774. For Murphy.57 Please present the following matter to General Eisenhower with the request that he consult General Giraud also and that we be advised as quickly as may be practical of the decision.
The American and British Governments are meeting in Bermuda58 to discuss ways and means for saving refugees, a number of whom have found their way out of German military jurisdiction and some of whom are now in Spain. The delegates at Bermuda are impressed with the thought that Spain is the only effective channel of escape for these unfortunates who remain in Western Europe composed of various nationalities. They feel it is of supreme importance that this channel be kept open as the consequences of closure would be that the admission of additional refugees would be prevented by the Spanish Government; that the Allies would be deprived of persons who are useful to them in North Africa; and that world opinion would come to the conclusion that we were not making any serious effort to deal with that problem if something were not done about the situation in Spain. There are six or seven thousand persons of this category in Spain who are not of French nationality but who are largely Jewish, and of either enemy nationality or are stateless persons. The proposal is that they be transported to North Africa because of the scarcity of shipping for long journeys and the proximity of that region to their present residence. Further, that they be assembled there in a camp to be built, if necessary, the site of which would be selected by the military authorities there, and with the consent and approval of the French authorities. The camp would be either under military authority or be under the jurisdiction of the British who have offered to make available personnel for that purpose. To keep them in Spain would prevent the advent into Spain of additional persons. Provision for the number mentioned in Africa would be for purposes [Page 296] of a temporary domicile until another place could be found to which to move them and with the assumption that persons later arriving in Spain might fill their places in such a camp in Africa after the persons there had been moved to other jurisdictions.
We are advising the Bermuda conference that the matter involves consultation with the military authorities and approval by the French authorities in North Africa and that they are being consulted.
The Department will appreciate receiving a reply as promptly as possible considering that the conferees in Bermuda will be entering the second week of what was expected to be a short conference.
For your confidential information the Department is consulting the Joint Chiefs here and any final decision as it might affect the North African military effort must await receipt of their advices.