The Film & More
Reference
Interview Transcripts | Bibliography | Primary Sources
Entry from Assistant Secretary of State Breckinridge Long's diary in which
he notes that President Roosevelt supports his policy of encouraging consulates
to "postpone and postpone and postpone" the granting of visas.
October 3, 1940
So when I saw him [FDR] this morning the whole subject of immigration, visas,
safety of the United States, procedures to be followed; and all that sort of
thing was on the table. I found that he was 100% in accord with my ideas. He
said that when Myron Taylor, [the President's personal representative to the
Vatican], had returned from Europe recently the only thing which they discussed
outside of Vatican matters was the visa and refugee situation and the manner in
which our Consulates were being deprived of a certain amount of discretion by
the rulings of the Department...The President expressed himself as in entire
accord with the policy which would exclude persons about whom there was any
suspicion that they would be inimical too the welfare of the United States no
matter who had vouchsafed for them and irrespective of their financial or other
standing. I left him with the satisfactory thought that he was wholeheartedly
in support of the policy which would resolve in favor of the United States any
doubts about admissibility of any individual.
From: "The War Diary of Breckinridge Long"; ed. Fred L. Israel; University of
Nebraska Press, 1966.
Back to Primary Sources | next
|
|
