840.48 Refugees/8–1244: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of the State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
6408. Kindly deliver following message to Josiah DuBois, General Counsel, War Refugee Board who is with Secretary Morgenthau.54
An offer regarding emigration and treatment of Jews has, as you will recall been communicated to the United States and United Kingdom governments by that of Hungary. On August 11 the American Minister in Bern was instructed to deliver the following paraphrased reply to the offer in question to Intercross.
[Here follows paraphrase of draft message contained in telegram 2657, August 2, midnight, to Bern, printed on page 1114.]
The British Government was informed on July 29 of the reply this Government proposed to deliver on August 7 to Intercross and was requested to take parallel action. The British Foreign Office on August 5 requested this Government to delay the delivery of its reply to the Intercross for several days until the British War Cabinet could discuss this matter. This Government advised the British on the [Page 1121] same day that delivery of our reply would be postponed until August 11. Instructions accordingly were sent to the American Minister in Bern.
The British Embassy here transmitted to this Government on August 10 a message from the British Government which stated substantially in part that:
“Hungary’s offer should be accepted and His Majesty’s Government agree to make joint declaration to that effect with the United States Government. Naturally there must be agreement between us as to the terms of the declaration.
As the United States Government knows it cannot be sufficiently emphasized that British capacity to accommodate refugees has now become limited and thus while we accept an indefinite commitment in order to meet the wishes of the United States Government we count on them to take their fair share of the burden and not to face us with the impossible in practice.”
The British Government also has raised certain practical problems of accommodation which must be considered in implementing the Hungarian offers acceptance.
The British Embassy here was advised on August 10 following the receipt of the British Government’s communication that the American Minister in Bern would deliver this Government’s reply on August 11, but that publication of such action would be deferred until the two Governments had a chance to agree on a joint statement to be given to the press. Suggestion was made to the British Embassy here that the British Minister in Bern should be instructed by his government to deliver an identical reply to Intercross. Suggestion also made that British Government consider question that text of American reply delivered to Intercross on August 11 be made the basis of a joint public declaration, after necessary slight changes were made. The foregoing suggestions, it is understood, were immediately cabled to London by the British Embassy.
The following is the substance of message sent by the British Government to this Government on August 11.
“The following suggested text of joint Anglo-American declaration approved by the War Cabinet as being the most suitable in all the circumstances should be communicated to the United States Government.
‘The offer made by Hungarian Government of which they have learned through the Intercross has been considered by the United States Government and they undertake to care for all Jews permitted to leave Hungary and to reach neutral or Allied Nations territory (even though all may not come within the classes of persons included in the Hungarian Government’s offer).
‘The offer of the Hungarian Government has also been made known to His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and it, to the end of relieving suffering of the Jews in Hungary will, as far as it can, cooperate with the United States Government in care of Jews allowed to leave Hungary and reach territory of neutrals or United Nations.’
His Majesty’s Government, if United States Government is unable to agree to joint declaration in this form and proceeds to publicize acceptance of offer independently, proposes to publish the second portion of the foregoing declaration and through His Majesty’s Minister in Bern, to make an appropriate communication to the ICRC.”
Through the British Embassy here the British Government has been requested to consider prompt concurrence in the issuance of a joint declaration since the public statement suggested by the British Government is regarded as unacceptable. The joint declaration follows:
“An offer of the Hungarian Government with respect to the emigration and treatment of Jews has been communicated to the Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom by the Intercross. The two Governments because of the desperate plight of the Jews in Hungary and the overwhelming humanitarian considerations involved are advising the Hungarian Government, through the Intercross, that despite the substantial difficulties and responsibilities involved, arrangements for the care of all Jews leaving Hungary who reach neutral or United Nations territory will be made by the two Governments and they will find for such people temporary havens of refuge where they may safely live. The governments of neutral countries who are being requested to permit the entry of Jews who enter their borders from Hungary are being apprized of these assurances. In accepting the offer the Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom emphasize that they do not condone in any way the action of the Hungarian Government which as an alternative to persecution and death is forcing the emigration of Jews.”
The joint declaration suggested by the British is not a commitment by that Government to the Hungarians in the opinion of the Board but merely a promise of qualified cooperation in carrying out the commitment made by the Government of the United States. The joint declaration suggested by the British, you will note, permits [omits?] any assurance by either Government to find havens of refuge for Jews who reach the territory of either United Nations or neutrals.
It is considered important that:
- (1)
- the British Government, if it has not already done so, instruct its Minister in Bern to deliver to Intercross a note identical with that delivered on August 11 by the American Minister.
- (2)
- it notify the neutral governments of the action it takes, and requests such countries to permit the entry of Jews who reach their borders from Hungary.
- (3)
- it agrees to the simultaneous issuance in the form suggested by us of a joint statement.
We have tried to make clear the following point of view in our discussions of this matter with the British. The action of the Hungarians in forcing the emigration of the Jews as an alternative to persecution and death is neither approved nor agreed to, and we obviously hope that circumstances will still induce Hungarian authorities [Page 1123] to permit Jews now in Hungary to stay there in safety and that a large scale wartime migration will not be insisted upon by the Hungarian Government. This Government is not prepared, however, to give Germany and Hungary any excuses whereby extermination or deportation of the Jews may be continued. This Government’s insistence on an early notification to the Hungarians of our joint acceptance without awaiting a final determination of all considerations of accommodation and transport is for this reason. An endeavor has also been made to make clear to the British that, after notification of acceptance of the Hungarian’s offer by both Governments and the publication of such acceptance, we shall be glad to discuss with it the different considerations of transportation, accommodation, et cetera, including among others the question of cooperation of the Intergovernmental Committee and Latin-American Governments.
The above is for your information and any appropriate action you may be enabled to take. It is suggested Ambassador Winant and Secretary Morgenthau be consulted.
- Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury.↩