Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

800.4016 D.P./6–747: Telegram

The Secretary of State to Mr. Joseph N. Greene, Jr., Acting United States Political Adviser to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater

top secret

Washington, June 12, 1947—7 p. m.

44. Depts comments follow on numbered paras urtel 89 June 7 to Dept rptd to Rome 39, Belgrade 15:

1. Time factor is appreciated but Dept expects that screening by IGCR teams will substantially reduce number of prima facie non-eligibles requiring screening by Joint US–UK–SACMED teams. Also it is not anticipated that numbers falling under category (a) Fan 757¹ to be considered by Review Committee will prove large. It is confidently hoped that all screening by IGCR and SAC teams can be completed by July 31 at latest.²

It is contemplated that War Dept and War Office will authorize US and UK Commanding Generals to continue screening operations as authorized Fan 757 after R–Day³ and consequent dissolution AFHQ. Two Commanders jointly to replace SAC on Review Committee.

2. Agreed.

3. Dept hopes that your Brit colleagues and Brit military will maintain pressure on Foreign Secy in hope of securing adequate number of qualified Brit screeners for SAC teams. Dept convinced Maclean’s behavior this matter based on purely personal considerations which should not be permitted further to delay orderly and rapid conclusion screening process.

4. SAC should insist that central records be freely available to SAC screening teams in such manner as is required to expedite work of SAC screening. Maclean should be reminded if necessary that central records contain, among others, records supplied by SAC which can be withdrawn if necessary. Use of records for UK screening in Germany and Austria has lower priority than imperative and immediate need for them in concluding SAC screening in Italy at earliest possible time. Dept agrees plan of procedure outlined para 4 urtel under ref but hopes more satisfactory arrangement can be made.

5. Dept has not envisaged that IGCR screening teams would report any persons falling under category (a) Fan 757 to Vatican for Argentine visas or participate in departure of such persons from Italy, Such action should be confined to Whites and Greys only and Greys preferably before they have been formally labelled as such in order facilitate their departure. Joint US–UK–SAC screening teams should screen all those found prima facie ineligible by IGCR screening teams. Persons under consideration by Review Committee should be held in closer custody by military than Greys who are eligible for emigration from Italy.

6. As member SAC review committee you should be guided by criteria given SAC in para (2) Fan 757. Dept considers Committee has authority to reject reports from head of joint screening team which in Committee opinion do not establish in individual cases presumption of guilt. Every case which Committee agrees eligible involuntary repatriation should be referred to Dept and FonOff for final decision regardless any previous agreement to hand over.

7. You will be informed soonest contemplated communication to Italians re subject.

Kindly share as much of foregoing with Royse⁴ for his basic understanding as you in your discretion deem wise.

Repeated Rome 906; Belgrade 375.

Marshall

1. Not printed, but see footnote 4, p. 805.
2. The joint U.S.–U.K. screening team completed its work in early September 1947. The team found 736 persons who were ineligible for care by the International Refugee Organization (which had assumed responsibilities previously exercised by the IGCR) but who were not recommended for involuntary repatriation to Yugoslavia. Thirty persons were recommended for involuntary repatriation. The latter cases were examined by the Review Committee (the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, and his American and British Political Advisers) whose signed report dated September 15, 1947, was referred to the Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom. The final report of the Review Committee, the reports of the screening team, and related documentation were transmitted to the Department of State as enclosures to despatches 17 and 18, September 16, 1947, from Leghorn (800.14016 DP/9–1647). Further action on these thirty cases appears not to have been completed during 1947.
3. The date of the ratification and coming into force of the Treaty of Peace with Italy. The date proved to be September 15, 1947.
4. George Royse, United States Representative to the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees.