Memorandum from Loy Henderson to Matthew Connelly

ADDRESS OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE WASHINGTON 25, D: C. DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON 204-B December 11, 1945 HARRYS HARRY ARCHIVES NATIONAL TRUMAN AND LIBRARY MEMORANDUM FOR MR. CONNELLY RECORDS SERVICE & GOVERNMENT Referring to our telephone conversation, I am sending you herewith some suggestions as to what the President might say to the American members of the joint Palestine Committee, who will be in Washington later this week, beginning Friday. We believe it to be most important that he speak very frankly to them about the serious responsibilities which they have undertaken. Some of the persons appointed by the President to the Committee have expressed a desire to defer entering on their duties and have suggested, for example, that they might stay at home until after Christmas. In view of this feeling on their part it is believed that it would be most helpful for the President in conferring with the group to impress upon them the importance and urgency of their task. The American and British Govern- ments attach the greatest importance to this inquiry and the members should be left in no doubt as to the fact that they have a full-time job before them which will be a real challenge to their energies. They have under- taken serious responsibilities involving the welfare of possibly millions of persons, lives of many thousands, the prestige of the United States and peace and stabil- ity in Europe and the Near East. Both aspects of the inquiry are of the greatest importance. The continued indecision with regard to the future of Palestine is a contributing factor to the prevailing tension in Palestine as well as in the Near East as a whole and it is no exaggeration to say that no lasting peace can be expected in the area until an equitable solution is found to the Palestine problem. The situation of the displaced Jews in Europe is no less a cause of the gravest concern, although some improvement has taken place since the Harrison report. The existing uncertainty as to the fact of these unfortunate victims of Nazi and Fascist persecu- tion is most unfortunate and must be resolved as soon as possible. There