Allies Seen Disturbed over Reference to Post-war Refugees

A Washington dispatch to the New York Times by Frank L. Kluckhohn reported today that the British and French governments were “deeply concerned” about President Roosevelt’s reference in his refugee conference address to the necessity to prepare for resettlement of ten to twenty million post-war refugees. The statement was said to have caused “discomfiture” to the Allies who were represented as feeling that one of their war objectives was the elimination of racialism, making forced emigration unnecessary.

The Allied governments also feel, according to the dispatch, that the President’s remarks on this score “may have permitted the assumption in Germany that he endorsed Hitler’s thesis that emigration may be forced.” Mr. Kluckhohn quoted diplomatic circles as reporting that informal representations over the statement have already been made. He also reported that Myron C. Taylor, American vice-chairman of the Intergovernmental Refugee Committee, was understood to be seeking an appointment with the President to iron out the misunderstanding held in diplomatic circles to have been created by his statement.