Extract from a memorandum from William Warnock to
Nicholas Nolan (Dublin) regarding the Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees

[matter omitted]

Since the outbreak of war, we have not been able to do much to assist refugees, mainly perhaps because we are too far away from the scene of hostilities. Our Red Cross has sent financial contributions to similar organisations in other countries, but our effort is as nothing compared with the hospitality afforded to refugees by another neutral, Switzerland, and, to a less extent, by Spain, Sweden, and Portugal. Switzerland did not turn back fugitives even after fears had been expressed that the steady increase in the flow of refugees would threaten her own food situation. Unlike Spain and Portugal, Switzerland, being until recently entirely surrounded by German-controlled territory, is unable to move the refugees on to other countries.

We informed the Department of Finance, in the last paragraph of our minute of the 28th June,² that our Minister is anxious that this country should not withhold its co-operation from the Inter-Governmental Committee. We were represented at the Plenary Session of the Committee held in London from the 15th-17th August last, and I assume that our attitude, though as yet very cautious and reserved, has not changed in the meantime. It must be borne in mind, however, that while membership entails an obligation on us to con- tribute our share on an agreed scale to the administrative expenses of the Committee, we are not in any way bound to contribute financially or otherwise to any schemes for re-settlement [or] re-transfer of refugees which the Committee may formulate in fulfilment of their extended mandate.