121.866A/Original
Memorandum by President Roosevelt to the Secretary of State
This is a wholly original thought with me and I have discussed it with no one else.
[Page 870]We have, I think, all of us the thought that at the termination of the European War, whether it comes soon or next Summer or three years or five years from now, there will be a very large number of refugees—refugees of various Christian faiths, as well as Jewish—refugees coming not from one country but from many countries, including even England and France and Italy.
These people may be refugees because the place they live in will no longer allow them to stay; or they may be refugees whose homes and property have been utterly destroyed and have no chance to start life anew in the old setting; refugees who for reasons of conscience, Christian and Jewish, feel that they can no longer tolerate the civilization in which they have been brought up; refugees whose family ties have been destroyed and who want to start life in a wholly new environment.
It is my personal belief that there will be, in all probability, more Christian refugees than Jewish refugees.
A problem is, therefore, raised as to whether, because a very large number of them will be Catholics, the Vatican itself may not desire to take an active interest in helping the Catholic refugees to find homes in wholly new surroundings.
I am wondering, therefore, if you and I should not begin the consideration, while the war is still on, of discussing the whole subject with the Vatican and with the representatives of the Federal Council of Churches in America and some similar organizations in Europe.
The contact with the Jews has already been made through the Myron Taylor Committee, which will meet here in October, and which has concerned itself directly with the Jewish problem.
The contact with Protestant churches can readily be made in this country and with the equivalent organizations abroad.
But a contact with the Catholic Church ought to be made directly with the Vatican itself, because this question is of infinitely more importance to European Catholics than to American Catholics.
It is my thought, therefore, that while there is no particular reason for haste, we might give consideration to sending at a later date a special Minister or Ambassador on Special Mission to the Vatican, in order that we could have a direct system of communication covering the subject of European Catholic refugees.
I am inclined to think that this is not only a practical idea but that it also puts the whole refugee problem on a broad religious basis, thereby making it possible to gain the kind of world-wide support that a mere Jewish relief set-up would not evoke.
You might think this over and talk with me about it at your convenience.