Memorandum from Joseph Grew to President Harry S. Truman

Return DESLASSIFIED (E) E.O. 11652. Sed. 3(E) and 5(D) 10, ar 1972 Dupi. of State letter, Aug. 6-30-75 MCT-WK NARS Date DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON June 9, 1945 SECORT MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT Subjecty Immigration and Naturalization falm for East Indians. As you know, the Department is very anxious to see favorable action taken on the Celler bill for the extension to East Indians of immigration and naturali- zation privileges similar to those extended to China last year. This bill was tabled by the House Committee on Immigration and Naturalization last March but is being called up for reconsideration on June 14, 1945. The people, 6f India are following the progress of this legislation with the keenest anxiety and the ta- bling of the bill last March provoked strong resent- ment in the Indian press. For example, one journal said that "not until America sees fit to revoke her various humiliating immigration barriers to Indians can we view America and the Americans with anything like the enthusiasm its propaganda seeks to inspire." Another Indian paper found in the Committee's action a foretaste of the type of peace to come and concluded that the professions of the western powers apply only to the white races. When American officials in India recently sug- gested to the Indian Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council for Planning and Development the desirability of fostering reciprocal trade relations between our two countries, the Member of Council replied that he saw little basis for such reciprocity as long as we maintained the