Office of the Historian

867N.01/8–1746

The Secretary of State to Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, at Paris

Paris, August 17, 1946.

Dear Dr. Wise: I have been so busy with the work of the Peace Conference that I have not had an opportunity to answer your note50 as to seeing Dr. Goldmann about the Palestine matter.

Much as I regret not complying with any request of yours, I feel that I should not hold conferences on this subject.

For the past year President Truman has had personal charge of the Palestine problem. Communications between the British Government and the United States Government have been carried on by the President and Mr. Attlee—not by Mr. Bevin and me.51

When the Peace Conference convened July 29, Mr. Attlee came to Paris. Just at that time the press carried stories about the meeting of the representatives of our Cabinet Committee and the British Committee. The President requested me to see Mr. Attlee and also to talk with the representatives of our Cabinet Committee. I communicated to the President their views and on the same day advised him of the views expressed by you and Dr. Goldmann on the occasion of your visit with me that morning.

Since that time I have not talked with the President or with any official of the British Government as to the Palestine matter.

As long as the President is handling the matter I feel that I should not confer with the interested parties unless requested to do so by the President. Any interference by me without his request and without knowing what his views are might be harmful instead of helpful.

Tell Dr. Goldmann that I regret I cannot see him upon this matter but I am sure the President will be glad to give consideration to any views Dr. Goldmann submits to him.

Sincerely yours,

James F. Byrnes
  1. Not found in Department files.↩
  2. In a letter of August 17 to Mr. Robert R. Nathan, at Paris, Mr. Byrnes noted: “Whenever the State Department has issued a statement of taking any action of any kind it has been by direction of the President.” (867N.01/8–1746)↩