Foiitical Section -

SOCIÉTÉ DES NATIONS. I S 2 3 LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

R E F U G E E S F R O M A S I A M I N O R

i s 2 8 0 7 5 m i

Expéditeur. <Lc~

ty r « v t l - lVVVV« j

U f 0 v iv w i | î ? v i )

. ^CvVUvx— ct< r f a p j p ^

f f ' i

U-w-.—

1 c v / ' v ' C , - 7 1 3

Cvvvv-m/vvvvv-ti i*-u-— CV •Pa— /pyv*X-c— U«vw«—-- •'virt-e* y

^ j u ^ J & £< *. io c z l ?

. . . --------- J IV '’1* t* - —— f v n v b - ' " •

O W v-yv trV i C -p y \lv /i— X JCs> C&H ivkw vx

- w U o t l f t w OU I qç.ftl/.'j

(VwV— ’ ( A — ttA V v « _ , I

t u v » - ' Q v ^ V V v - z U ^ - t w t ) C^x— G^xCv^-xoCx. $ A £ /^ - A .a 'K ^ - /

^OvvJL iV d ' Û vtivJ-‘ r — - ' L—\ £ a — C£^> tvfvi

1 VL 4 (Wâ /EW-flOw,

Réponses, &e. (Out L etter Book) :—

|-J d j i — ____________

I f r v

I f - S - i j

Pricie il inierire lea commentaires sur la feuille blanche à l’intérieur. Voir, pour Distribution (éventuelle), 1. feuille bleue à l’intérieur.

Hi/tie)3 ' ))>>

DEJP.i -iTMENT OF STATE

^ W a sh ing to n

March 3 1 , 1 9 2 3 .

E x c e l le n c y :

The p ro b le m p re s e n te d by th e e v a c u a t io n to G reek t e r r i t o r y

o f a lm o s t a m i l l i o n re fu g e e s has appea led t o th e h u m a n i ta r ia n

s e n t im e n t o f a l l c o u n t r ie s and has s e v e r e ly ta x e d t h e re s o u rc e s

o f th e r e l i e f o r g a n iz a t io n s w h ic h hate been s u p p o r te d i n t h e i r

w o rk by th e g e n e r o s i ty and i n i t i a t i v e o f t h e G overnm ents and

p e o p le s o f many c o u n t r ie s . I am c o n f id e n t , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t I

c o r r e c t l y i n t e r p r e t t h e s e n t im e n t o f th o se who a re in t e r e s t e d

i n t h i s w o rk i n s t a t i n g t h a t th e common o b j e c t i v e i s to f i n d

f o r the r e l i e f p ro b le m a s o lu t i o n wh ich w i l l be d e f i n i t e and

c o n t r a c t i v e . I t i s w i th t h i s end i n v ie w t h a t I ta k e o c c a s io n

t o c a l l t h i s s u b je c t b r i e f l y to Y our E x c e l le n c y ’ s a t t e n t i o n .

D e e p ly a f f e c t e d b y th e s u f f e r i n g s o f re fu g e e s i n the

Near E a s t , th e Am erican p e o p le , th ro u g h th e a g e n c ie s o f th e

Am erican Red C ross and th e Near E ast R e l i e f , have been p a r t i c i ­

p a t in g a r e l i e f w o rk o rg a n iz e d to meet t h e em ergenc ie s w h ich

have a r is e n in th e N ear E ast d u r in g the p a s t fe w y e a rs and

ja r t i o u l a r l y t o h e lp to a l l e v i a t e th e a c u te s u f f e r i n g w h ic h

fo l lo w e d th e r e c e n t mass e v a c u a t io n .

Im m e d ia te ly a f t e r th e f a l l o f Smyrna th e A rnerican Red

C ross and th e Near E a s t R e l i e f o rg a n ize d r e l i e f w o rk among th e

H is E x c e lle n o y

Bon G e la s io C a e ta n i,

Ambassador o f I t a l y .

- 2 -

re fugge s under an arrangement between th e two o rg a n iz a t io n s a e c o r -

d i r jm to vthioh th e Red Cross assumed r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r th e American

r e l i e f work in Greece w h ile the Near E as t R e l ie f has cared f o r

re fu g e e s in Turkey. Thus the Red Gross f o r th e p a s t f i v e months

has provided f o r a pprox im ate ly 868,000 re fu g e e s assembled in camps

in v a r io u s l o c a l i t i e s th roughou t th e mainland of Greece and th e

I s la n d s o f the E a s te rn M ed ite r ra n ea n . At t h e p r e s e n t time more

than 600,000 re fu g e e s a re dependent e n t i r e l y upon food su p p l ie s

fu rn ish ed by the Red C ross.

I t i s c l e a r , however, t h a t th e f e e d in g o f g r e a t camps of

re fu g e es cannot and should n o t c on t inue i n d e f i n i t e l y . Die s o lu t io n

o f the problem can h a rd ly l i e in measures o f temporary r e l i e f

a lone - though th ey a re e s s e n t i a l to meet an emergency such as has

r e c e n t ly a r i s e n in the Near E as t - b u t , r a t h e r , in such a d i s p o s i ­

t io n of the re fu g e e s as w i l l enab le them to be absorbed as promptly

a s p o s s ib l e in to the normal economic l i f e o f t h e c o u n try where th e y

f in d them selves .

The American Red Cross has t h e r e f o r e f e l t t h a t a f l e f i n i t e

d e c i s io n should be reached a s t o th e d a te of t e r m in a t in g emergency

r e l i e f work in Greece and t h a t an announcement o f t h i s d e c i s io n

should be made w à ll in advance o f c a r r y in g i t i n to e f f e c t , in o rde r

to give th e Greek a u t h o r i t i e s and o th e r i n t e r e s t e d ag e n c ie s an

o p p o r tu n i ty t o make s u i t a b l e p ro v i s io n s fo r t h e f u t u r e . To postpone

such a c t ion and to co n t in u e th e mass f e e d in g , in th e op in ion o f

those competent to Judge, might on ly tend t o de la y v ig o ro u s measure

f o r a more permanent s o lu t i o n o f th e re fugee problem. The American

- 3 -

Hed Groee i e t h e r e f o r e announcing th e te rm in a t io n of i t s emergency

r e l i e f work in Greece on June 30, 1923.

She Near East R e l i e f ie p re p a re d , t o the e x te n t of

i t s a b i l i t y , to oon t inue i t s c h i ld w e l f a re work, in c lu d in g the

su p p o r t o f 65,900 wholly dependent orphans now in i t s charge in

Caucasus, Greece, S y r ia and e l se w h e re , and to oon tinue s u p p le ­

m entary c h i ld w e lfa re work f o r a l a r g e r number. But i t i s

anxious to t e rm in a te a t th e e a r l i e s t p o s s ib l e moment th e emergency

r e l i e f t o a d u l t r e fu g e e s , of whom app ro x im a te ly 100,000 a r e now

r e c e iv in g r e l i e f from t h i s o r g a n iz a t io n .

The problem of f i n d i n g permanent homes fo r the re fugees

i s one, however, tihioh i t i s n o t w i th in the scope of p r i v a t e

r e l i e f a g e n c ie s . I t w i l l r e q u i r e the c o r d i a l co o p era t io n o f the

l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s where the re fugees may be s i t u a t e d , and of the

Powers whose t e r r i t o r i a l and o th e r i n t e r e s t s in th e M editer ranean

a rea may make i t p o s s ib l e f o r them to a s s i s t .

One phase of t h e q uest ion which i s of p a r t i o u l a r concern

r e l a t e s to th e fu tu r e of th e Armenians in the Near E a s t , s in ce

i t i s a grave q u es t io n whether Greece, in a d d i t io n to 1he re fu g e es

o f Greek r a c e and r e l i g i o n , w i l l be in a p o s i t i o n to c a re f o r many

thousands o f Armenians. In the l a t t e r case i t w i l l be n ece s sa ry

to c o n s id e r what d i s p o s i t i o n may be made o f the Armenians who

may have te m p o ra r i l y found re fu g e in G reece .

I f a c o n s t r u c t iv e p la n can be worked out f o r an a p p o r t io n ­

ment of the t a s k and fo r the g radual s o lu t i o n o f the re fugee

problem, American r e l i e f a g en c ie s w i l l be ready to c o o p e ra te , even

a f t e r the te rm in a t io n of the emergenoy r e l i e f work of th e American

Grose on June 3 0 th n e x t ,

In b r in g i n g th e s e c o n s id e r a t i o n s to Your E xc e l le n c y s

a t t e n t i o n , I tak e oooasion to sugges t t h a t i f th e I t a l i a n Oovernment

he d isposed t o oonour as t o th e d e s i r a b i l i t y of c o o rd in a te d a o t io n

to l i q u i d a t e Uie r e l i e f emergenoy in th e Heas E a s t , an e a r ly

exchange o f views would be d e s i r a b l e •

A s im i la r communication i s being ad d re ss e d t o t h e B r i t i s h

and French Governments, and th e Greek a u t h o r i t i e s a r e be ing

informed of t h e d e c i s io n o f th e Red Cross to t e m i n a t e emergenoy

fe e d in g o p e ra t io n s in Greece on June 3 0 th .

A ccept, E x c e l le n c y , t h e renewed a ssu ra n c e o f my h ig h e s t

c o n s id e ra t io n •

f i r m a to : C har le s E* Hughes.

rA p r il 2 , 192.

, a#

iX)ti Ï .[•: PRHSS.

001; FI L> ;ii ÏIAL: Released f o r p u b lic a t io n In th e morn in,- ruiyvBpapers' of1 JKÎ'ülÆY. ^l’RÏL '7rd . 19'1..' . and not to ba pr<ar loqBljL-

nu'o 1luh ori. < : uo to >i f v > "

R efux*e Problewi in '

Phe Beoretary o f u ta to addressed <;o the U r it la h , French end

I t a l i a n Ambassadors i n Washington, under d ate o f Mnroh 31 , an

id o n t io note on the aubjaot o f the re fu g ee nroblom in the Hear Kant,

fhe note eunm a r i s e s th e r io o n t a a t l v l t i e a o f American r e l i e f

o rg a n isa t io n s , re fe r a to the informetlo n before the tienar trnaa t as

to the plane o f th ose o r g a n isa t io n s f o r future work i . i the Near

B a st and in concluding su g g e s ts an e a r ly exchange o f views fo r the

purpose o f c o n s id e r in g plana fo r a s o lu t io n o f th e re fu gee problem.

Æe fo l lo w in g i s a Dxmmnry o f t h i s id o n t io note:

ïh e probl-sn p resented by the evaouution to Jreek te r r it o r y

o f a lm ost a m i l l io n refugee c has Mppsaled to tb.o humanitarian

sen tim ent o f a l l o o u ntries and has s e v - r e l y taxed the resources

o f tho r e l i e f o rg n n isn tio n s whioh h ere been supported in th e ir

work by the g e n e r o s i ty and i n i t i a t i v e o f the governam ta and

p eop le s o f many c o u n t r i e s .

Do,p ly cffoa'-efi hy tho uuiTf « r in g s of re fu g ee s in she

Ne nr Be e t , the «merieen p e o p le , throw "h the ag en c ie s the

Amirior.il Hod Cross end th e Hear H ast R e l i e f , have been

p a r t i o lnat ing in r o l i o f work organised to maet th e

emergenoi eo Alii oh have a r ise n in the Üear la s t during the

pa st few years and p a r t ic u la r ly to help to a l l e v i a t e the tou te

s u f fe r in g whioh fo llow ed the rooent mass evaouations.

irauedlately a f t e r the f a l l o f Smyrna the ^meriom

Red Croaa and the Hear Bas'. R e l i e f organised r e l i e f vo rk

among the re fu g ee s under an arrangement between

the two o r g a n is a t io n s , accord ing to,

w h io h th o Hod C r o s * a s su m e d r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h o A m er ican

r o l i o f w o rk i n G re e o o w h i lo t h o H e a r Hr.s t . . o l i o f h c a o a r e d f a r

r e f u g e e s i n T u r k e y . T h u s th o >.od C ro o u f o r t h e p a s t f i v o

m o n th s h a s o r o v i d e d f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y 0 6 0 , 0 0 0 r e f u g e e s a sa o m b le d

i n oampa i n T a r i o n s l o o a l l t i o a t h r o u g h o u t th o m a in l a n d o f G re e c e

a n d th o I s l a n d s o f t h o . / a s t e r n ü u d i t e r r a n o a n . A t t h o n r o a o n t

t im o m ore t h a n 5 0 0 ,0 0 0 r e f u g e e s a r o d e p e n d e n t e n t i r o l y u p o n

f o o d s u p p l i e s f i i m i s h o d by t h e Had G r o a e ,

I t i a o l e a r , h o w e v o r , t h a t t h o f o e d i n g o f g r a a t oampa

o f r e f u g o o a o a n n o t a n d s h o u l d n o t id n t i n u o i n d o f i n i t o l y . The

s o l u t i o n o f t h o p ro b le m c a n h a r d l y l i e i n m e a s u r e s o f t e m p o ra ry

r o l i o f a l o n e - t h o u g h th o y a r e e s s e n t i a l t o m e e t a n om orgenoy

su o h a o h a s r o o o n t l y a r i o o n i n t h o ."ioar H a s t - b u t , r a t h e r ,

i n o uoh a d i s p o s i t i o n o f t h e r o f u g o e a a a w i l l o l i a b l e th em to

b e a b a o r b o d a s p r o m p t l y a s p o a a i b l o i n t o t h e n o rm a l econom ic

l i f o o f t h o c o u n t r y w h oro t h o y f i n d th o m a o lv o a .

Tho A m a r io a n Hod C r o a a h- .s t h e r e f o r e f e l t t h a t a

d e f i n i t e d o o i o i o n s h o u l d bo r o a j h e d a a t o t h o d ü to o ï t e r m i n a ­

t i n g em o rg o n o y r e l i o f w ork i n G r e e c e a n d t h a t a n a n n o u n o o m o n t

o f t h i s d o o i a i o n s h o u l d b o made w e l l i n a d v a n c e o f c a r r y i n g

i t i n t o e f f e c t , i n o r d e r t o g i v e th o G re e k a u t h o r i t i e a and o t h e r

i n t c r e a t e d a g e n d a s a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o make s u i t a b l e p r o v i s i o n

f o r t h o f u t u r o . To p o s t p o n e s u c h a c t i o n a n d t o c o n t i n u e th e

mo88 f e e d i n g , i n t h e o p i n i o n o f t h o s e c o m p e te n t t o J u d g e , m ig h t

o n l y t e n d t o d e l a y v i g o r o u s m e a s u r e s f o r a more p e rm a n e n t

s o l u t i o n o f t h o r e f u g e e p r o b le m . The A m a r io a n i .ed C r o s s i s

t h e r e f o r e a n n o u n c in g t h e t e r m i n a t i o n o f i t a o m o rg en o y r e l i e f

w o rk i n ( J reeo e o n J u n e 3 0 , 1 9 2 3 .

The t i o a r E a s t R e l i e f i s p r e p a r e d , t o t h o o x t o n t o f

i t s a b i l i t y , t o c o n t i n u e i t s c h i l d w e l f a r e w o rk , i n c l u d i n g t t e

eu - p o r t o f 6 5 , 0 0 0 w h o l l y d e p e n d e n t o r p h a n s now i n i t a c h a r g e

i n t h e C a u o a o u s , G r e e c e . . ......................

r Syria and oloewhere, and to continue supplemontary child welfare

work for a larger numbor. But it io anxious to teminate at the

earliest poasiblo moment tho euorgcnoy relief to adult reiugeos,

of whom approximately 100,000 are now receiving relief from this

organisation.

The problem oi' find in? permanent homes for tho rol'ugees is

ono, however, which is not within the scope of private relief

agencies. It will require the cordial co-operation of tho local

authorities where the refugees may be situatod, and of the Powers

whose territorial and other interests in the Mediterranean area

may make it possible for them to assist.

One phase if t e questio > which is of particular concern

relates to the future of the Armenians in the Wear iiast, since it

is a grave question whether Greece, in addition to the refugees

of Greek race and religion, will be in a position to care for

many thousands of Armenians. In the latter case it will be

necessary to consider what disposition may be .side of the

Armenians who may have temporarily found refuge in Crooce.

If a constructive plan can be worked out for an apportionment

of the task and for the gradual solution of the refugee problem.

I American relief ugenoios will be ready to co-operate, even after

the termination of the emergency relief work of t>.e American

Red Cross on June 3 0 th nett.

In bringing these oonaideratlona to tho attention of toe Britten,

i'ronoh ana Italian te.basaadors. the u.oretnrj of state toot .ooa.lon to

suggest that If their OOT.rm.enta were disposed to oonour an to the

desirability of oo-op.ration to relievo the eeiergenoy in the Hear Salt

with rea„eot to the L.ttera described in hie note, an early e ohango

of views would be desirable.

The ieorelary of State ale lnforned the imbaieadora that the

Ce e k authorltlea «ere being advised of the aeolslon of the

Aaerioan Hed Cross to terminate ite emergeaoy relief wort in

Greooe on June 3 0 th. next.

1

u L

lliC

feA 6

o jfc jf r . i- : 4" ^JX

(JxZ£&L , ^U xC A a .

tfce. fW d64vJ" br'Vvua. ]8JU >mAJ|S

V, S, M'ausKx

n f fbjZ-Svfi-.a 28675

'

■ ■

'4

f , /L>h i, t .

,'/■ / 1

t j m

v -' .v A - ^ AV~L> (

rAfwCM

r * * f l ï . 7 S '* (Copy;)

K *

G E N E V A ,

-, 3rd May, 1925.

My dear Charles,

As you know, th e American Government

has s e n t an id e n t ic a l no te dated Marhh 31st

t e the Governments o f Great B r i t a in , France

and I t a l y to t e l l them th a t American e f f o r t s

in Greece would come to an end a t the end of

June un less a c o n s tru c t iv e plan could b©

worked out vtfiidi would enable r e l i e f to be

c a r r ie d out n o t under emergency cond itions bu t

in such a way as to produce a l a s t i n g s o lu t io n

of th e problem. The American Government

f u r th e r sugges ts an exchange of views between

the four Governments i f they a r e in agreement

as to the d e s i r a b i l i t y of co -o rd ina ted ac t io n

to dea l w ith th e m atte r .

I do n o t know whether H.M.G. have yet

decided on t h e i r answer nor whether they are

c o n su lt in g the French and I t a l i a n Governments

before so dec id ing ; nor do I know a t a l l

whether i t w i l l be prepared t o co n s id e r tak ing

fu r th e r s tep s to dea l v/ith t h i s problem f o r the

s o lu t io n o f which i t has a l r e a d y made g rea t

e f f o r t s .

I suppose, however, th a t the re are two

po in ts which may be taken f o r granted:

The Hon. Charles Tufton, C.M.G.,Foreign O ff ice .

London, S .w .i .

(a ) That I t i s n o t d e s ir e d to spend Govern­

ment funds f o r t h i s o b j e c t .

(b) That i t i s n o t d e s ir e d t o return a

c a t e g o r i c a l n e g a t iv e to the American p ro p o sa l .

The l a t t e r seem s, in f a c t , to be o f s p e c i a l

i n t e r e s t inasmuch as i t i s ( so fa r a s I know)

t h e f i i s t o f f i c i a l su g g e s t io n made from Washington

f o r se v er a l years on the s u b j e c t o f American

p a r t i c i p a t i o n in r e l i e f and r e c o n s tr u c t io n work

in Europe, and i t f l i g h t . t h e r e f o r e , prove to be

the t h in end o f ti very important wedge.

In th e c ir c u m s ta n c e s , i t seemd worth w r i t i n g

to remind‘you of th e C o u n c i l 's r e s o l u t io n o f A p ri l

23rd i n s t r u c t in g Dr. Nansen t o c o n s id e r th e

p o s s i b i l i t y o f r e p la c in g th e e x i s t i n g emergency

measures by a g en era l p lan design ed to e f f e c t

t h e permanent s e t t le m e n t o f th e r e fu g e e s , and,

i f p o s s i b l e , t o draw up a scheme fo r the purpose;

t h i s scheme t o be based on th e assumption t h a t an

ex te r n a l loan i s f l o a t e d by th e Greek Government

for t h i s s p e c ia l purpose. You w i l l remenfeer th a t

the Greek Government has i t s e l f proposed the f l o a t i n g

o f su ch a lo a n and has asked th a t the F in a n c ia l

Committee sh ou ld make a r e p o r t a s t o v tfoe th er from a

t e c h n ic a l p o in t o f v iew th e prop osa ls which i t

v/ould be prepared t o subm it fo r the payment o f i n t e r e s t

and a n o r t i s a t lo n o f th e loan a r e , in i t s op in ib n ,

adequate. Dr. Nansen’s scheme, i f he i s a b le to

make one, would th e r e f o r e be based on the assumption

t h a t the n e c e ssa r y money would be fouhd w ithout

a sk in g fo r f in a n c i a l c o n tr ib u t io n s from other

Governments.

C o lo n e l /

r - iColonel Proctor i s going out to Greece to

draw up th e reconstruction nlan and I do not think

anyone could do the woik b e tte r .As you know, the Council appointed a Sub-

Conmlttee consisting o f the B r i t ish , French and

I ta l ia n manbers, plus a Greek representative to

receive the reports from the Financial Committee

and from Dr. Nans en and to advise the Council

on the matter. I do not know whether i t would

be feasib le to suggest to the United S tates Govern­

ment tha t i f the Sub-Committee comes to the con­

clusion th a t these reports may form the basis of

such a solu tion as the United States Government

envisages, the Council would no doubt be gl&d to

in v i te the U.S. to take p a r t o f f ic ia l ly or otherwise

in the subsequent vzork of the Sub-Committee.

Yours ever

Bear Villa r i ,

I a t tach copy of a lé t ie i

S .5. sent on May 4th to aV'Che Foreign

Office with regard to theVAmerican Note about the

Hear East refugees, the te x t of which you

probably have since i t reached us (pr ivately)

from Rome. A\ . Avenol has taken a copy of

this to Paris with him and w il l discuss the

matter there ; and the Secretary-General suggests

th a t Professor Attolico should , i f he thinks

r i g h t , send a s im ila r private l e t t e r ( m u t a ^

mutandis).

Yours ever,

May 7th 1025.l?lxJu£

Ÿ Vx

!\\ -