Office of the Historian

840.48 Refugees/663: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

London, August 16, 1938—11 a.m.
[Received August 16—9:45 a.m.]

772. From Myron Taylor.

1.
Rublee has arrived and we have reviewed thoroughly the situation.
2.
The British will invite Portugal to adhere to the Intergovernmental Committee. They hope that we as the original inviting power will take occasion to support them at Lisbon in urging the Portuguese Government to accept.
3.
Masaryk the Czechoslovak Minister at London has addressed a note to Winterton indicating that his Government would wish to adhere to the Intergovernmental Committee in the same status as the other countries bordering Germany. The British are replying that the problem now concerns more especially the country of origin of involuntary emigration and the countries of final settlement, that in consequence the Intergovernmental Committee cannot at this stage extend an invitation to a country of temporary refuge. Confidentially the British believe that it will be most unwise to invite Czechoslovakia to adhere on the eve of the opening of negotiations with Germany.
4.
The Brazilian Government has failed so far to notify Winterton who will be the Vice Chairman representing Brazil. This is causing embarrassment since the British are not able to issue invitations for the meeting of the officers of the Intergovernmental Committee on August 23. They expressed the hope that we will make further inquiries of the Brazilian Government as to what it intends to do.

In order that there may be no misunderstanding we assume that Miss Duffley13 will be paid directly by the Department, since the British have reserved the right to appoint the clerical personnel of the Intergovernmental Committee from the lists of the Foreign Office. [Taylor.]

Johnson
  1. Margaret S. Duffley, clerk in the Division of International Conferences, on temporary assignment with the Intergovernmental Committee.↩