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  4. Document 746

740.25112A/10–2144: Airgram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Bowers)

Washington, November 18, 1944—11:50 a.m.

A–714. Reference is made to your airgram no. A–741 of October 21, 194445 requesting information concerning the policy which should be followed with respect to deletion of German nationals.

This airgram was discussed at a recent Interdepartmental Proclaimed List Committee meeting and the British representative on the Proclaimed List reported that on last June the position of MEW with respect to deletions of German nationals was that (1) little heed should be paid to an alleged change of heart on their part, (2) in general German nationals should not be deleted when the primary object of the deletion is to shorten the list, (3) deletion of German nationals might be feasible shortly after an armistice in Europe, and (4) German nationals should be deleted only if an economic warfare advantage is to be gained. The British representative stated that he intended to suggest to the British Embassy in Santiago that (1) the situation in Chile has changed considerably since last June when MEW stated its position, (2) in view of the progress being made in the elimination of Axis spearheads and the desirability of making substantial deletions from the Statutory List in order to strengthen the hands of the Chilean Controls Commission so that it can continue with the elimination program, a real economic warfare advantage might be gained by the deletion of German nationals, and (3) the cases of German nationals, included in recommendations for mass deletions as part of the deletion program in Chile, would very likely receive somewhat closer scrutiny than other cases.

The Interdepartmental Committee understands that the British will not object to the deletion of German nationals solely because of their nationality but would not be inclined to delete a substantial number of German nationals until persons of other nationalities, excluding Japanese, who had contributed no more to the Axis cause than the German nationals, had been deleted.

Stettinius
  1. Not printed.↩