Editorial Note
Mr. McClintock drafted a suggested press statement on the Pan Crescent and the Pan York for use by Mr. Lovett at his press conference [Page 1322] on December 30 and forwarded the draft to him with a memorandum of December 30. The draft consisted of four paragraphs. Mr. Lovett deleted the last paragraph and “took the rest,” which stated: “The United States Government has learned that two vessels of Panamanian registry, the Pan Crescent and the Pan York, have picked up approximately 12,000 Jewish refugees from Rumanian and Bulgarian Black Sea ports destined for Palestine.
“This immigration is uncertified in that the passengers aboard the Pan Crescent and the Pan York have no valid visas for Palestine.
“The Department of ‘State deprecates clandestine emigration to Palestine, particularly since the resolution which was adopted by the Second Session of the General Assembly on November 29, 1947, provided for substantial legal immigration to Palestine at an early date.” (867N.01/12–3047)
Mr. Lovett did not use these paragraphs at his press conference later the same day.