840.48 Refugees/6257: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé at Algiers (Chapin)
2011. For Murphy from War Refugee Board. Board will appreciate clarification of your 1937 June 10 and desires at same time to make its views in the matter clear. Board is aware that in order to increase the flow of refugees substantially from Yugoslavia it is important to find havens and to provide additional transportation facilities, clothing and food.
Consistent with military necessity and to the extent possible the Board is most anxious that additional shipping facilities be made available for evacuation and food and clothing supplied both for the relief of refugees on the Yugoslav mainland and for their care in Italy. Your recommendations with respect to what can be done in this connection will be welcomed.
In Board’s cable 1669 of May 27 the importance of finding additional havens to which refugees could be removed from Italy was stressed. Board believed that the flow of refugees from Yugoslavia should not be discouraged because of conditions in southern Italy and that refugees should be brought out to the limit of available transportation facilities.
It is the Board’s understanding that your memorandum of April 29 made the following points and was followed by the issuance of a directive by the military authorities on May 5.
“(1) We should not only not encourage the Partisans to send further refugees out of Yugoslavia but should take positive action in fact to discourage them in this effort. (2) Instructions to discourage the evacuation of refugees from that area should be issued to all Allied personnel in contact with the Partisans. (3) Instructions should be issued to Allied personnel operating landing craft used to carry provisions across the Adriatic not to provide transportation, except in such cases where it is impossible to refuse to do so, to Yugoslav refugees, when returning to Italy.”
The last information available to the Board is that the directive issued was still in effect as late as June 8. The Board is also informed that the flow of refugees decreased substantially during the month of May. Information from the War Department is to the effect that refugees had been arriving in southern Italy during the eight [Page 1079] week period from the middle of March to the middle of May at the average weekly rate of 1,850. The flow slowed down to less than 500 persons weekly late in May. Undoubtedly the situation in Yugoslavia had some effect on this flow but the Board is concerned that the restrictive order issued by the Army may also have contributed to this reduction in movement.
The Board will appreciate being promptly advised whether any directives are still outstanding aimed at discouraging the flow of refugees from Yugoslavia.
Kindly refer to Board’s 1669 of May 27 and 1879 of June 1497 with respect to the question of finding havens of refuge in the Mediterranean area. If accommodations for refugees can be increased in Italy, as suggested in your cable, our efforts in this respect will be aided.
The Board has noted your suggestions with respect to moving large numbers of refugees for temporary stay in camps in French North Africa. The Board fully concurs in the desirability of establishing additional refugee havens there. However it is recalled that this Government has been endeavoring to move a very small number of refugees from Spain to Camp Lyautey for more than a year.
Conferences have been initiated with UNRRA with a view to providing medical and administrative personnel for refugee camps and hospitals. Likewise the whole question of when UNRRA will be prepared to assume the responsibility of feeding and caring for refugees in Italy or elsewhere has been considered. You will be kept advised.
Consistent with military necessity the Board is most anxious that every effort be made to encourage the escape of Balkan refugees. The situation in Yugoslavia and the physical condition of the refugees upon arrival, the majority of whom are reported to be women and children, high lights the importance of this movement on humanitarian considerations. Consideration should also be given to the provision of relief for those refugees in Yugoslavia who can not be evacuated to Italy immediately. The stockpiling of food and clothing in Bari for use in Yugoslavia at the appropriate time should be looked into. If Marshal Tito is at all able to assist in the evacuation and relief of refugees in the Balkan countries his assistance should of course be enlisted. The Board will appreciate any recommendations that you and Ackermann can forward as soon as possible.
This is War Refugee Board cable to Algiers no. 29. [War Refugee Board.]
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