867N.01/9–1545
The British Prime Minister (Attlee) to President Truman 36
[London,] September 14, 1945.
No. 8. Mr. Byrnes handed me at the beginning of this week your letter of August 31st about displaced persons in Germany, with a copy of Mr. Harrison’s report dealing especially with the problems and needs of Jewish refugees. I have since then, in conjunction with my colleagues, been giving it my most earnest consideration. I hope that I may be able to send you a considered reply in the course of the next few days.
- 2.
- In these circumstances I cannot conceal from you that I learned with concern of a conversation which Mr. Byrnes had today with the Foreign Secretary in which he told him that you are proposing to issue a statement about Palestine this evening and to include in this statement Mr. Harrison’s report of which you kindly sent me a copy. I fully endorse on behalf of His Majesty’s Government the view which the Foreign Secretary expressed to Mr. Byrnes, namely that such action could not fail to do grievous harm to relations between our two countries.
- 3.
- I do not know whether Mr. Byrnes will have reported his conversation with the Foreign Secretary to you but there is one point which I should like to bring to your notice. The Jews are not now using the number of certificates which are being made available to them and up to the present have not taken up the 1,500 certificates offered for this month. It appears that they are insisting upon the complete repudiation of the White Paper and the immediate granting of 100,000 certificates, regardless of the effect on the situation in the Middle East which this would have.
- 4.
- I am glad to hear from Bevin that Mr. Byrnes after his conversation has recommended to you that this statement should not be made. The position in the Middle East is already one of great danger and difficulty and I fear that this action, had it been taken, would have precipitated a grave crisis which would indeed be a lamentable start to the work of reconstruction to which we are now devoting ourselves.
- Copy of telegram transmitted to the Acting Secretary of State (Acheson) by the British Ambassador (Halifax) in a letter of September 15, 1945, not printed.↩