840.48 Refugees/4479: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
5436. For Riefler and Funkhouser from Stone and Lehman. Department’s no. 4860, August 12, 1943. In view of reference to Intergovernmental committee of plan to bring 20,000 Jewish children from occupied areas to Sweden for the duration, there seems no reason why efforts should not now be made to institute a general child feeding plan in Sweden similar to that suggested to the Swiss government. British Embassy here reports that MEW has tentatively presented the matter to the Swedish Government and that a reply is expected shortly.
Such a plan should in principle apply to children from occupied areas selected solely on the basis of need regardless of racial or religious affiliation and if possible should not be confined to Norwegian children. Difficulties may arise if Germans refuse to permit Jewish children to be included or if they agree only on the basis that Jewish children who may be included must not be returned to Germany after they are restored to health. This in turn may create for the Swedish Government the same difficulty on a smaller scale as that which stands in the way of the plan for permanent evacuation of 20,000 Jewish children. British assert that they have expressed their readiness to the Swedes to cooperate in any such plan whether it involves a permanent removal or return and replacement after a restoration of health or a combination of the two. Department believes our policy should be equally broad.
You are instructed to familiarize yourself with the terms of past discussions with the Swedes and upon the reply of the latter to recommend a further course of action. [Stone and Lehman.]