60 Commonwealth Government to Cranborne

D.O. Telegram D.348 of 26th February. [1]

We see no objection to proposal in paragraph 2 provided that Polish forces are carefully disposed to avoid risk of difficulties with Soviet Union.

2. The adoption of proposal in paragraph 3 would apparently confer on the Poles concerned very wide rights including, in effect, automatic admission to Australia and possibly equal rights with British ex-servicemen in employment, etc. As the numbers may be large we cannot support the proposal without further information.

3. We therefore suggest that if necessary the Poles be reassured by an undertaking on the lines of that given by Mr. Churchill in the House of Commons on 27th February when he offered 'the freedom and citizenship of the British Empire to all who fought if they desire it'. We might be prepared to allow a substantial number of Polish ex-servicemen to migrate to Australia after the war but as at present informed we think this could be arranged without a prior grant of British nationality. [2]