.A~ Uu.:!..t. .. e., f&-·· "' .,.I..L I:Y? p~ c~...__ O«•• c.A.. ....,..._-.,t..._ ~~-...-c... Wt..ltu~

' ~ .,

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1 haw roor ldWr or Verch U\h. ttb,J no\ t.r7 W &,._ UJl\MI .nd prMW • \J'Iat. auc:D ,..fupM will oont.lmae \oO • trio. Md South !•r1 oa.

'rtlit poli q 11 ao aruel \ha\ if U. ware &• nerall.J k~ 1CL \hla OO"'Ift \.r')'• 1\ • ou14 iacre ... t.he didi.ac. o t Cna\ lri\Alll 11bich l a alN IId7 \co p~t..

Cordiall7 t'fN'• ,

/

0

10 "'*' · .... r•n

T'I"·"Y 't'I.-Y" Cfl \. C. Y,.r)• l OY r.:u.)tO

~" P•1•stln~ ~~ ~ ~~,. ~•~• ha•~ ·~~ ·d ,

•o ~'Y , ~~'v•~ of • l~~'ftlCa,itJ l f

not ~ . ... ~, T\t~ l T~•n t~•e• ,.~~\ ~ ~o~·

troa c:c.unt·t•• •'Y-N t'-~1 een r.o: .. t

•La~• ·~rr·7, ,~., ·~~ol ~ ~ ,~~n~ ~1~\ .

Jctt c•••• :e •• ~-u~t t~ron' •o~e.

Atti"~ "tl t"',.t • llM .1'\: \-1C:1tt

\n t h:at. "'"rt or tt-l'! •tort~ 'b•tor .. loh~.

V•r7 oorlJhtly 1')•Jrt .

oeu Eleanor:

TME UND!R St:CAETAPY Or STATE

WA$HINOTOH

L!&.roh 12 ' 19-12

',¥1th retorenee to your letter to me ot t.::nrch 9 ,

you will be lntorostod ln tho following statemont made

yesterday 1n the Mouse of Co~ns by the British Onder

Secretary of Stato tor the Colonies:

"Tho STRUMA was o. converted yacht or o.bout two hundrod to1lB . Flying tho Pana:nonlan flag, she lett Const~~za last October wi~~ some seven hundrecl sixty-nine Jews on board .,.,1th tho 1nton .. tion of of!octins their entry 1llosally into Palestine . She reo.ched I stanbul about mid­Decoml:ler, wllon she was do!'lcribed as beinG badly overcr o\•ded, an~ thoreo.tter coM i derable r epair3 to her onginos ha<1 to be e!'.reoted. i1htle :Jhe 'Ita!! lying at Is tanbul, tho l'Urk1sh authorities intimated that the passenser3 could not be ~­lowed to re:na1n ln TUrkey. Tho Palestine Gov ... ernment also made it clenr , with tho support or Hh Wajeaty •s Gover nment , that they could not be o.dmittod to Palestine . This action was in conto~ty with tho policy consistently fol­lowed '!nee the es tablishment of the o&nd$tory reg ime and publicly conf~ed by His ~ajooty•s Oovornm.ent 1n november, 1940.

"When the 'l"Urklsh aut"!'lor1t1es !'ound tbnt tho passengers ·would not be admitted to Palos· tine, they decided on the twonty· third Febru­ary to send the ve~tsel bo.c!< to the Blae1c soa . On the twenty- f'ourth Pabru.ary news was roeei'Ved. that she had eunk as a r esult or an explosion .four or rive miles !rom t..'lo).o ontranoo to the Bosphorus . Tho cause of tho d1saa te.r is not

}.irS . ROOIJOVelt,

~ 'i'lh1te iiouse.

- 2-

det1n1tely eatabllahed. She mar have 1truek a mlne, but the poaaib111ty ot her hav1n& been torpedoed 1s not exolud~ •• a TUrklab vessel was torpedoed ln the vlolnltr abo~t the tl~ .

"Hie ~ajoa t1 1 a Oovor~ont crontly deploro tbo tro.ulc loaa of Hte Which occurred 1n tbi a di.l1a tor.

'!be, bad hoped t".at ettect Qi.cbt ha•o baon zlvan to

the otter or the Palestine ~veri'Wlent to acbi1t to

Paloatlno tho e~Udron on board between the aaea ot elovon and a1xteon, but this proved improotloablo •• the Turk ish authoritlea dld not feel th~aolvGa able tO SiVO tho DOC03SA~7 perQ~alon tO land.

"Hlo :iaj eat:~ ' a Oovernment aarneatl7 hope that

auch o tra; ody wlll not occur Again. I t doea not 11o in Lho1r power , however, acid tho dongcra and uncertainties ot war, to ~vo an7 ~~aranteo no~

can they bo po.rt7 to an1 neasur es •hlch wo~d un;lor ­

mlno tho oxlstln; policy rosard1ns 1llo:nl inml zra­tlon into P&loat1ne1 in view ot tho w14er issuee l nvol•ed. SUbjtct to t~ao roeorvat1ona, ~~•ovtr ,

I can aa7 t:ut Hls t:aj.:St.J'S Oovornc.ent Will on­

doavor , 10 far •• lioa ln tbo1r power , to eNur-e t.ho.t !;hero 1s no rocurronoo or euoh • dto•ster o.e t~at wblcb boroll tho JTR~~ - ·

'nt13 ls ono ot the =->at shoek1r\c7; tr&,£td.1.e3 lllhl ch

have taken place in a tre,zic yoar . Ha turaUy I m 4 o­

i~ t'ltrjth1n· : eM to ;1rovont a r ocurronct1 but tbD

Br1t1oh ar e adaoant in thblr refUsal to provont an1 in·

creased ~1~at1on into Paloat1ne ror tear ot Arab

unre1t .

Bel1ovo =• a1ncorel.y,

Oear gleanor:

TH[ UNOilP III:CRCTA."Y OF' StATt

WI.IIHINGl'ON

t.:t.rch 16, 1942

•.tith rerorence to m,y letter to ::rou or :O:arch 12

conoernl~ tho ~ caao , I = encloa ln: !'or your

in!'ormat1on a pa.ra.phrooe or o tolesrom I !:>..avo ro­

col'led. from our ~oaoy in London, wh ich quotoa tho

text or a mocorand~ recolvod from tho British ?or•

e i gn Offi ce.

Bolievo :o

L:rs . Rooaavel t ,

The White Hou•• ·

PROJ,l :

'l'O :

DAl'EO :

PARAP!!MSE 01' 'lt!L!lORA!.:

American Embos~y, London

Secretary ot State , Washington

l~o.rch 16, 1942

It'll& ?oroten Otfic o has sent to us a mem.orandum

which stateo that all or tho c;a torlal facts relating

to the sinking or tho STRl~A were stated ln Parliament

'b·1 t he Secretary for the Col onlct:l and t ho t:ndor Sec:ro ...

te.ry on !te.:reh 10 end 11 . It 1s a.l.so 3 t G. ted in tho

rr.eMOrandum ths t :

I n 891 te of t."e fac t the t a l l of tho 1mm.1g r•ants

on Doerd this ship ~ere , so rar o.a ia k no·.m , or enemy

nationality , whlle tho 3h1p ' s cap tain and crow them­

solvtts wer e also enemy (Bulcar1an) , tt wos no t becaU3e

of th13 fnet RlOnO that it ~~~ round 1CpOS31ble t o cront

perm!~elon to an:' or the il'rlllli aNu\ts oxcopt tho children

to enter Palestine . I t i a esaent1al t o li1~ ... a.jc:::ty ' a

Goverment's policy t hat the admission ot' Jowl:>h lrm!t1-

grant5 b& rogul8r1zod and a reversal or this policy at

a critical moment or tt.e war would involve a 1•lsk of

dangerous repercussions on tho non- Jowish populatio~

of the !tiddle EaB t ~ which tho whol e cond.uct or tho

wtLr might be o.rrec.tod .

-2-

The t errible per secu t ion in Germany end OermcnM

controlled oountr loa haa not boon viewed wt thout

s~~po thy by His ~ajea~y ' s Gover nmen t and many ~rae­

tical dotuonstr atlom of i to anxie t y to aos lat tho

victims of per secution# both r acial and rol1e1ou3,

have boon shown. AlthoUGh illegal immi&r•nts who

have reached Palestine have been a:ncl will continue

to be treated w1th ever y regard for human i ty , never ­

the l es s the authorities responsible tor tho m111t4r7

and pollticsl security or the t:iddlo l!llst c anno t hel p

but regard with tho greatest m1s£1v1nB$ l ndlscrimlnato

o.nd substantial additions to tho n\Ulbor or these im­

migro..'"'l t s . !'he Goverrur.ont of the United St ates is , of

course , awal"o th.ct Hi~ l.aJosty ' s Covornoent 13 not

alon& i n tlndi"L 1t necesaar:~ to restrl ct c:nigratlon

f r om ene:ny count ries under the :streas of' war .

It 1a f'w:ot.hor sto.ted ln tho mecorand:um that the

British :lovernment has no eon!'1r:rr.at1on of' the report

mentioned Oy the Department and states 1n conclusion

tho.t a.eeordil"'C to the inl'or mat1on or the Br1t1ah

Govornmcnt , the ~ovcrrurtont of' l"urkey , whioh had al·

r el.l.tly expres sed lta 1no.b1l1ty ~ nll ow thG eb1l<lren

from the STRti'J.!A to be la."ld&d and ta.kcm aor oaa 'i'urkoy

to Pale~ ttne, 4oc1ded t o return tho ship to t~ port

-3-

from which 1 t salle d s inoe it was appr ehens 1ve or an

attompt to force 1t to accept all the 1mm1erants in

its terrHor:r .

an. ltooltnelt •ak'-lct -· ~ton •"­lett !";uhln&t.on t.hb wtk, \.o ••nd fou. l Lh• enelo..cl cow or a repor\ .M bu NO•h.ct t~r. YIJ"S.an P'r7 • which eM wbbN k,pt. oont1dtntlal. llir quuU co to 10\l 1a : "C:Jul.d •• proc.on ttnd •1 1 .. nt.l on in a:t colurm?"'

Roaora.bla S,..r treu .. llllcl.,. Soero\&ty or St~w •a.ahiJlc't.oa. n.c ..

~ ... u .. ott:tcu ~al Co"'"P"" d •

I

0

"'' .. \

FI,.TY SIX IRVING P LACE

NCW YOR K

Kr .. 7rM41D il. Jloo.,..el \

'%!le 'flU,, ~·· l'a~Lo •• o. :)ear ..lrto JlloOMYOl\:

The Ttf'~o•• in Jrance :ao• taco \be grea\ttt. clu~r whlc:h hD1 con» t.hei r wa7 ainco tho arm1 Uloe o! June 1940. 1 011 entlosln& a &emora.n4\.l.la bt.sed on reoorts Just received b:r t1• Joln\ Dht.rt~.ulcm CC~~W~tht.ee Md tht lliltrgenc,y Buoue Co...a1t.t••~o IJ'he 1o!onaa U on in thi s report. h w'l.mptlleba.bt.o. but neU htr ort{Mha\Lon Ct\J'u t.o be q,uot.ed in connect.lon wuh H foT tho .rcl&tOn thAt tM 1rtfo~t.1on r MChltcl Uw.a by un4o..,. c;roWl4 rol.lt••·

1.7 o-.n fHl144 1 1 thin ..-. ou.c:;ht. D!)\ t.o to•. by ottlc1&1 tllence. to C?nd.ont •:s.ch ~nnal atui barbaric t.reat.­cnt. or cl•t•:"t•"''' " ac. wo::-.o, anc cbild.r'*C. l bope tc.at .YO'l •1'1 8Q'H •U" \Ms &Ad. tt.t ,ou. will u_.e ~ lllll..-.ce t.o ~t thl SUite .)llp&rlftHt \0 IIII!L.Qi a ~OJ'O!U 9..1-:b.Uc tt.at-A\. l al~ bope tL&\ na wUl aoontlo::>::. tbe,. eY«h lo 7 ..,- Col\IU.

IJoo1 \ .., ... ,. \hit letter. 1 &.o• t o..,.ot • refll1·

J L:ac.•rel7 rwr•.

I ' I\ I I \t Y?:Jf Variu f'r1 i"nc:

~~· ~ ~· ·\ , .. .\' .; \\

\ l ~ ~ I I· t \

l I . J t •

I t

' I

Dear Eleanor:

"'HE UHOER Stc.RtTARY OF' STATE

WASHINGTO N , ,, \

I have Mr. Magee's memorandum ot Septe•ber 12, 1942 encl osing a copy or a r epor t which you hAve r eceived rrom Mr . Varian Fry wlth reepeot to the ma11 deportation of foreign Jew1 ln Frence. We have proteettd not once but eever&l tlsee to the head ot the Frftnch Government &galna t th1e inhuman program. Heade or our relief organltationa i n unoccupied France have proteeted to Marshal Pet~1n. Repr eeentatlvee or other civilized state& nave followed eu1t. All thle, however, h~e made no 1mpreee1on on Laval ~bo 11 apparently dete~ined to carry out hie original plana to r eturn theae unfortunate people to their oppreeeore .

~bile the atteched report appeara to be baatcally correct, ~e cennot, or coure~, vouch ror the names of the 1nd1v1duale or the flguree mentioned , nor do we have any conflrmetlon or the ree1ona, report ed by Mr. Fry, tor the French Government's sctlon.

I see no obJection to your using th1e mater1&1 in your ool wan.

Enclosure: Report returned.

Mre . Rooeevel t, The White Houee.

U!...! kl-!POk'l' 51·-:J:r BY VAHLAll M

VlcJv' haa .. ,.,...... to h;M)M. lt.ooo flll"f'\f1Mr• a.n:l ,.,..nch Jewa tron

tM oec~.nl-.1 ao:M and 10. 000 to:-.icn•r•. btllo"cS to bt 'both J•• hh ILft4

Qtn-:\le , b-Jt. • ., Rr no ,..,..-n.ch, fro- t..lle U~4J't,h4 &OIM, ~.600 poaraona

ha.e alr••dy boten dO;JOt't.d froa tht U"\nnCUpl~ 101M t.4 an u'Uno-~m. doatlti&­

Uon 1n f!U!"Afn Europe . inoludinc 1, 000 t'N:1 th!t O&tlp t.t tlura , 700 in tM

nt1p at Vorn11t , "nd 700 rr.'ll!l th>l ellA' at 1A1 ::.tllea. Acoordinr to rJno

repnrt, t.-.,. Mt.lM Ofii'IP o!' Vornat baa be•n tAlton to t.M der..rcftt.ion Uno

~ Jw.nd•.S o'Mr t.o ~he :l.,s\:lapo. ;Jein, ....,""" and oh.l l .dr.en OM btlnr arnuted

1.n t'- atl" .. t.a .,r ...ANdllo, ":'oulwso, ~,or\ M4 ., .. ~hu popul&~lO'\ contert ~

~ u' tM liiOta. !n t.holt u:»cev~l•-1 .JOM ~hlldr.,ft owr t"!'"' :re.,.• ot ·~

&:"9 beln.• J"~r~ with thot~ :'*!"e"l'lta, 1ft ·-~ O<!C:Ut"leJ ll):'l;~ e:h.\l".! ... n of tWO

:fl!l•r• or no:-tt. ChU<lNn u,-lor !l,.,se .. .._.., • ..,.... bo1n,- l"rt beh1n1, bo_,a~ th11r

pnrenta aM Mtn,"' 'lt~nt, t-hu11 121kln,· tM oM 1•1r•en vlrtua.l or rJ--.ana .

Poop ln ,.,., • r;tlnc -.o esoft.?tJ o•NU' tM rro11tlo ra into Spain .. net Swt t&ar•

l •u'ld, ~M th" 0 ~t~nhh •n1 Sw!s!l a.uth,ritiu )~\'G boen turnln;- thol!l baok,

1'h1a 1a th'l airnittea.nct ot • c:ablo r"r#"' Uern hi the Now Tor ie Tinea ,r

.t.ucuat 25, 111oooMinr t.o •h!ch, undor pr.ouure or hi .. wln..re or('\ftbatlona ,

the Swiaa ,_..,..) (".,.,..,_,.:, haa doc:ld•1 n)"' \0 da~r: rrot\areea th•• .-.~ ... 4-~

h~ ol\ldln;:: UM •ath o rte;io.s aod enterinr !twit&4frland llltplly beto:oe l.••:u•t 13.

!'Mrt han btttn ~ au1o1doa i n .?r&nllft 11M~t tM d",ar-tatlo"U bor-n . All

?ronch odt.. f'.,,.,.dta hnw buon atn~o•l wi"<h•nlt dhtlnot.lo:t or racs or IW\tlonaUt.y .

- 2 -

Anion,-. thluo • ht::t hl\ve elreatly Men doportert are Genotr &l Ulec z.yi~la•J

Ihr-ten11tein, ~ Polo who had a C•nattie.n viaa And • t1.1'11tod St&tea t r ttna1t viaa

whieh tu•r1•tod bo lAt.o t.o de hi, IU"i,, r;ood; J;r1ch Jacobi , a f"..or."'J\n intolloctua l ,

l:a rl :Jordok, "" Atutdl\n &oalf'l OitMOnlt, flwl Uor':D.nl'l Biob~:tr , a ".ir'tr.:'lftn S:ooiol

Do:wcro.t, f\.nd hh l.t11'e, Tht!i la.at two J<~~.d htvl oo-oall~d "eMr;-o!l.Cy" vha~ . but

~M via .. httd oJtp11""-' 11M had not bolon r.,no1ftllt Jn tlmo.

t~cordlnt; to a :r~o.shl t'l t;~n aouroe, thd asree~nt to deport tb& Mi'U&"f!i&S

ia t ho ro:~ult o!' lin at.tel!l?t on Vichy ' • JICI. r': to obt.in aore fi)Od , l..&.vd h

uid t.o havo I"OnphJnott t.o th!t Gcr411lf!ll thllt they we~ ta.\':in& t.no l"alch food

th<>r.'l rraYl(le, To t.hia the C.,rma.n• &:-o reportod to h• \'0 replied aoM•hat

•• !'ollOWS 1

"'tl9t rl.•J 11!' yo\lr Jowo: ttTid f:oro1 W1-0t'O !'ir!Jt and th&n j)Or he.pr. ..

wlll talk about Q ·:ir.c :;ou 1:10ro t\)od .. i!' you &';ill nood it.. "

:.ucuat 2&, 1M2

~· 28, 19(.2.

;ou :or j'Wr' le1.wr or w~opt.Ciixlr 22nd 1n

wb.l.o.l ~u u.dvbe bor conoc:rnin.: t..ho cw;.\.t.·er

~euWonoucl in Ltw r •j..Or\. "•\\. t..o t .. r b'/ 1:1'.

\'"-ria.n l f''f •

Hon. ,U;antr ..... U.(,ll C004ilr ... wrow..r,y or S\.&t.l ,;,H.o;t.e •14J!.lW•I..uliln\. ""hiri,tit.on, 1,. C.

I