Dictated by phone from Berlin.

Have concluded highly satisfactory talks with British Control
Authorities and I.R.O. Officials on the question of Balts for
Australia. Lt.-General Brownjohn, Deputy Chief of Staff, British
Army on the Rhine and Brigadier Thicknesse in Charge of Prisoners
of War and displaced persons were principal British
Representatives. I was accompanied by Armstrong, Beilby and other
Members of my party.

I have agreed to take 12,000 Baltic peoples per year subject to
I.R.O. providing five ships. Each ship make minimum of three and
possibly four voyages annually with Fremantle used as Australian
terminal port and with capacity of 862 persons per vessel. Male
group will consist of artisans and manual labourers. Nurses,
hospital domestics, typists who have worked for British and
Americans and who speak fluent English and domestic help for
Australian mothers with young families will constitute female
group.

It may not be possible for shipping to be found for the number
stated. In practice it may be that only a proportion will reach
Australia in the first year.

In order to provide for medical and security checks and enable
authorities to satisfactorily handle the situation, I seek
approval for authority to be given Dr. Redshaw, Commonwealth
Medical Officer, Australia House, employ temporarily and for short
period Australian doctors studying England for post graduate
degrees to make all medical inspections of intending migrants
under his direction. I also desire that Lt.-Col. Sellars of
Australian Military Mission be loaned by Department of the Army to
the Department of Immigration for organising and security work for
a period of two years. Will post you by airmail copy of report by
Sellars on local conditions from Security angle. I am satisfied
from reading his report that appointment of Australian Military
Officer to carry out security check is absolutely essential.

Brigadier White [1] shares this view and strongly supports my
recommendation. May I ask you to request Dunk to give Public
Service Board approval to these suggestions as matter of urgency.

Also want Senator Armstrong to see that additional staff sent
London immediately to cope with Migration work and desire two
officials be flown to London immediately even if this means
temporary depletion of staff in Canberra. [2]

So many countries are now alive to the possibility of displaced
persons as a source of manpower that we must act quickly otherwise
we will be left with their rejects. Many missions are already
operating on behalf of other countries particularly from North and
South America. Australia is so much further removed from Europe
than these countries that we must tackle the task now if we are to
successfully compete with them.

I have had equally warm cooperation from the American authorities
here in Berlin and am leaving for Frankfurt in the American Zone
at 0900 hours 19th July to discuss with them and I.R.O. officials
terms of agreement which I hope to sign in Geneva on Monday next
and which you have already authorised.

I am going full out all the time and will have a most interesting
story to tell you and observations in England and on the Continent
on matters of political, economic, industrial and social
importance.

I send you and all our colleagues my kindest regards. I have not
so far met Ward or Dedman but saw fellow-exiles Amour [3] and Bob
King [4] at Gare du Nord Monday morning.