U.S. Suggests British-american Parley to Facilitate Emigration from Nazi Countries

An official suggestion that British and U.S. representatives meet at Ottawa “for preliminary exploration” of ways and means of helping Nazi victims to emigrate from Europe is contained in the note addressed by the State Department to the British Government, which was made public today by Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles. “Such exploration” the note says, might be undertaken along the following lines:

“A. The refugee problem should not be considered as being confined to persons of any particular race or faith. Nazi measures against minorities have caused the flight of persons of various races and faiths, as well as of other persons because of their political beliefs.

“B. Wheresoever practicable, intergovernmental collaboration should be sought in these times of transportation difficulty, shipping shortage, and submarine menace, to the end that arrangements may be determined for temporary asylum for refugees as near as possible to the areas in which those people find themselves at the present time and from which they may be returned to their homelands with the greatest expediency on the termination of hostilities.

“C. There should accordingly be considered plans for the maintenance in neutral countries in Europe of those refugees for whose removal provision may not be made. Their maintenance in neutral countries may involve the giving of assurance for their support until they can be repatriated, which support will necessarily come from the United Nations, augmented by funds from private sources. It may also involve the giving of assurances in all possible cases by their governments-in-exile for their prompt return to their native countries upon the termination of hostilities.

“D. The possibilities for the temporary asylum of refugees, with a view to their repatriation upon the termination of hostilities, in countries other than neutral, and their dependencies, should be explored, together with the question of the availability of shipping to effect their movement from Europe.”

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON REFUGEES CAN ACT BEST, NOTE SAYS

Emphasizing that the United States “has been and is making every endeavor to relieve the oppressed and persecuted peoples” but that in affording asylum to refugees “it is and must be bound by legislation enacted by the Congress determining the immigration policy of the United States,” the note declares:

“The United States is of the opinion that further efforts to solve the problem may best be undertaken through the instrumentality already existing, the executive committee of the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees. To this end it may be considered advisable in order to facilitate action by the committee that a preliminary exploration of ways and means be undertaken informally by representatives designated by the Government of the United States and the British Government.”

The note was sent by the State Department to the British Government in reply to a memorandum on the question of persons fleeing from persecution for religious, racial and political reasons, which was submitted to the Secretary of State by the British Embassy on January 20.