Eisenhower Library, Dulles papers, “Telephone Conversations”
Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, Prepared in the Department of State
Telephone Phone Conversation with Mr. Brownell
[Here follows brief discussion about the possibility of new action on the Bricker amendment.]
The Sec. asked what B. had called for. B. said he had a report from the Immigration Service on the operation to date of the Refugee Bill. It is not going at all well as far as results are concerned.1 B. asked if the Sec. had someone here who could be a trouble-shooter and meet with Swing(?),2 who is giving it a fresh look since being in office last week and is disturbed. McLeod is away, continued B, and Alexander3 is retiring in July and is showing no interest despite Presidential interest. The Sec. said McLeod is working on it now over there. B. said only 77 have come in, and McL. said 12,000 would be in by June 30. If each had a new man, we might come up with something,—we are going to be blamed. The Sec. said he [Page 1634] thinks it has to be under McL. by law, as the intent was he would administer rigorously, but he is trying to be liberal B. said they have some manpower to bring in if that will help. The Sec. said he will look into it.
- C. D. Jackson, in a memorandum to Robert Cutler dated Mar. 26, 1954, urged “Presidential interest” in and an “NSC push” for implementation of the Refugee Relief Act with a view toward the “tremendous propaganda impact” this would have in Italy. Jackson stated that he was sure Cutler would be shocked to know that the legislation “has been deliberately sabotaged. In the nine months since the Bill was signed, four, repeat four, immigrants have come in under the Bill.… I think this is a pretty disgraceful performance.” (Eisenhower Library, White House Office records, “Project ‘Clean Up’”)↩
- J. M. Swing, Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, Department of Justice.↩
- Robert C. Alexander, Assistant Administrator, Refugee Relief Program.↩