Office of the Historian

867N.01/8–3147: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in France

secret
us urgent
Washington, August 31, 1947—7 p. m.

3286. Brit Emb under instructions informed Dept this afternoon that FonOff has instructed Brit Emb Paris to request French Govt to renew its offer to consent to voluntary landing of Exodus refugees at some French port such as Cherbourg. Proposal contemplates that as ships bearing refugees approach English Channel offer to land on French soil be repeated to them. British believe offer would be strengthened if French official were to go aboard to confirm that French would receive them. Ships would not approach or enter French port unless substantial number refugees accepted offer.

British also pointed out that if this scheme were successful it would avoid difficulties foreseen in transfer of refugees from Germany to France. They expressed hope that American Ambassador Paris could be authorized support them in this proposal.

In discussing matter with French authorities you may reiterate as indicated in Deptel 3282, Aug 30,1 that Dept will appreciate any action French Govt may take to ease situation and permit refugees to enter France and point out that this plan, if successful, has virtue of making it possible for refugees to avoid being landed in Germany.2

Sent Paris as 3286, repeated London as 3801.

Lovett
  1. Not printed; it quoted the substance of a telegram from the British Foreign Office to the British Embassy which suggested the United States press the French Government to receive back the Exodus passengers without conditions via the British Zone of Germany. The Department noted that while it “does not wish enter into discussion of legal points raised [in the Foreign Office telegram], in view of humanitarian aspects of case it would appreciate any action which French Govt might take to ease situation and permit refugees enter France.”↩
  2. In telegram 3299, September 2, 7 p. m., the Department informed the Embassy in Paris that nothing in telegrams 3282 and 3286 “implies that you should support Brit request to French FonOff that French accept refugees unconditionally, i.e., compulsorily.” (867N.01/9–247)

    According to telegram 3556, September 2, 6 p. m., from Paris, the Chargé in France (Bonbright) conferred with a spokesman of the French Foreign Office along the lines of the Departmental messages and was informed that “the French policy was unchanged and that they remained willing to receive such refugees as presented themselves voluntarily and saw no objection to repeating the offer.” (867N.01/9–247) Telegram 3594, September 4, 7 p. m., from Paris, noted that the time element soon militated against favorable action as the refugee ships were reported off Le Havre on the morning of September 4 (867N.01/9–447).

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