740.62114/1–747
The Secretary of State to the Legal Adviser (Fahy)
Mr. Fahy: Reference is made to your memorandum1 as to prisoners of war. When I first discussed with Bidault the return of war prisoners and he referred to the shortage of labor, I urged that he take some of the displaced persons. He told me that he could not do so. They did not want the Jews and the Soviets objected to their taking either Slavs or Poles.
Again in New York when I advised Couve de Murville2 that our message had gone forward to Bidault urging him to take over some of the displaced persons, he said that he did not think it possible for them to do it. However, I urged the matter upon him in the hope that when they were faced with the necessity of returning the prisoners they might change their minds.
Both Bidault and de Murville would take Germans, but they want Germans who are young, physically strong and who were not actively Nazis. I fear the specifications will restrict the immigration.