840.48 Refugees/1729: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 11—2:50 p.m.]
976. From Pell and Achilles. We now have definite information that the British plan to place before the Committee a resolution regarding British Guiana and that Winterton will make a statement with regard to the Emerson plan. Our information is that the British will accept the principle of the Emerson plan and probably state that they are prepared to execute it on condition that it is accepted and executed by other principal governments. They will also make the most of their Guiana offer as a concrete contribution to resettlement and the use of a part of the Czech fund for resettlement in Guiana as a financial contribution by the Government. The general effect of this program will be to place them in a strong moral position of which they plan to make full use in the international press, and to place the responsibility for any failure to extend the work in behalf of refugees, both as regards financing and resettlement, on the other principal governments.
Of course we should be pleased that the British are now making a tangible effort but we who have contributed more than any other government or people to the solution of the refugee problem should get full credit before the public. Our main contribution as a Government has been in the numbers of people we have admitted for permanent residence and although this is perhaps an old story the value of it is inestimable and it should be reemphasized. We can put forward the Foundation as the most logical manner of approaching the problem of financing, and an essential first step, and we hope that as regards settlement it will be possible to make use of some definite [Page 131] information with regard to the Mindanao project. In this connection we recall the statement which President Quezon63 authorized Mr. Taylor to make at the February meeting to the effect that substantial funds were available for general development purposes. It would be helpful if we could expand this statement and give more specific details. [Pell and Achilles.]
- Of the Philippine Commonwealth.↩