840.48 Refugees/4450: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
5797. Reference your telegram of September 3 to Madrid and latter’s no. 2463, September 7, 4 p.m. to Department repeated to you, regarding committee for selection in Spain of refugees to be sent to North Africa. It is assumed of course that the Ambassador at Madrid has received your memorandum and has had opportunity to study it and to offer his suggestions. The Ambassador at Madrid will have had to consider whether the delicate arrangements with the Spanish and Portuguese Governments for the evacuation of the refugees in question will be endangered by the setting up in Spain of a committee as proposed and also the possibility whether too discriminate a selection of the refugees in Spain, except of subversive elements, would defeat the objectives of relieving Spain of the care of the refugees and providing a channel for further escapes of such refugees from Axis territory.
Repeated to Madrid.