Geist, Raymond H., Berlin. To G.S. Messersmith, Washington.
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University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
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Acknowledges letter of Mar. 17 with copy of Jewish Telegraph Agency report; it is true, had talk with Mr. [Victor Heine] Bernstein, correspondent of Jewish Telegraph Agency in Berlin for last year or two; Bernstein has done good work in Vienna and Berlin and has not run amuck with Secret Police; wanted to give him background on negotiations which Intergovernmental had here; difficult to explain in letter realities of Jewish situation in Germany; whole problem bound up with U.S. immigration problem; has been anxious that work of Intergovernmental Committee succeed in order to relieve pressure on U.S. Visa departments and to relieve distress of thousands of innocent people in Germany; was anxious to impress upon Bernstein importance of not starting such a campaign in the American press that Germans, out of revenge, would break off negotiations with the Committee; Bernstein made no notes of what was said, and probably was unaware that he was misquoting; did not say, as Bernstein reported, that Nazis will live up to whatever they promised; said Germans would carry out those parts of the plan that were to their advantage; Secret Police has set up, in conjunction with the Jewish Community emigration offices which are preparing 180-200 people a day for emigration; chief factor in preparation is issue of passports; problem will be number of emigrants foreign countries are prepared to take; if negotiations take too long, Germans may call off deal and handle Jewish problem in their own way.