Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, General, The British Commonwealth and Europe, Volume II

840.48 Refugees/1290a

The Under Secretary of State (Welles) to President Roosevelt

Washington, January 12, 1939.

My Dear Mr. President: The difficulties of finding areas where mass colonization of refugees from Germany may be physically and politically feasible, and increasing indications that anti-Semitism in European countries other than Germany may shortly enter an acute phase make it increasingly apparent that solution of the Jewish problem in Germany and in Eastern Europe requires the creation of supplemental Jewish homeland.

Of all areas in which very large-scale colonization might be possible if the political obstacles could be overcome, Angola appears, in the opinion of Bowman¹⁴ and other geographic experts, by far the most promising from the physical, climatic, and economic points of view. The possibilities of Angola appear of such importance as to warrant heroic efforts to overcome the political obstacles.

There is attached a draft message to Mr. Myron Taylor which, if you approve, will be telegraphed to him as a further letter of guidance from you.¹⁵

Believe me [etc.]

Sumner Welles

14. Presumably Isaiah Bowman, President of Johns Hopkins University.
15. Telegram No. 40, January 14, 3 p.m., to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom, p. 66.