840.48 Refugees/6007: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 15—9:25 p.m.]
1719. Our No. 13. For War Refugee Board. The question is frequently raised here as to what concern the WRB will have with the problems of bringing immediate relief to the European refugee groups at the moment hostilities cease, as is generally known the bulk of these refugees will be in critical need of medical attention, of food and clothing and of housing. Thousands of them will want to return to their homelands immediately and will cause a tremendous transportation problem. Thousands of others will be looking for new domiciles. It is generally considered here that failure to have a plan prepared for immediate action will result in losses of thousands of lives, since these people are dying off so rapidly that even a month’s neglect will mean substantial losses. Accordingly there are numerous Swedish organizations engaged in promulgating plans for immediate postwar action. The Swedish Government itself has made a large appropriation for these purposes and has appointed a commission to develop programs. They are obviously interested in what the United States is planning along similar lines, and would like to cooperate. It is not clear to us what we should advance as the War Refugee Board jurisdictional field in these activities as contrasted with UNRRA or IGC. Please instruct.