840.48 Refugees/1958
Statement Issued by the Department of State, October 26, 1939
The officers of the Intergovernmental Committee, at their fourth meeting at Washington, on October 26, 1939, recognized that there was [Page 153] an urgent need for further openings for the permanent settlement of refugees included within the present mandate of the Committee, and further recognized that, as the President of the United States of America pointed out in his inspiring statement of October 17, the problem of involuntary migration might be greatly increased. They considered it necessary that surveys should continue of all possible openings for the permanent settlement of involuntary migrants in various parts of the world, special regard being paid to the scope for the development of natural resources by engineering, irrigation, and similar schemes. While such surveys would have reference to the existing mandate of the Intergovernmental Committee, the meeting observed that the collection of material of this character would be of general value in contributing towards the solution of the refugee problem in its wider aspects, and would be of particular value to the Committee should it at any future time wish to increase the categories of involuntary migrants within its mandate.
The meeting considered that the results of all surveys made either under the aegis of the Coordinating Foundation or by private organizations should be communicated to the Director, and, at his discretion, to the participating governments.