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1938 that the stability of the nation was threatened by the “ever-growing” number of
aliens residing on French soil. While claiming that the Republic would continue to honor
its “traditional rules of French hospitality” the current situation mandated enactment of a
careful screening process to separate “foreigner[s] of good faith” from the “clandestine
foreigners, irregular guests…unworthy of living on our soil.” Those selected for entry
would be welcomed but the “undesirables” would be forcibly expelled. 48
Edouard
Daladier, at various times Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and General Maurice
Gamelin of the General Staff, called for enactment of stricter entry criteria and the
possible elimination of refugee admission altogether. Such aliens posed a threat to
domestic labor and could represent a “Trojan Horse of spies and subversives” that abused
France’s tradition of the “open door” while serving Nazi plans to destabilize the French
society and economy. 49
The Foreign Ministry declared that it was impossible to admit refugees in a
“permanent capacity” but potentially could agree to allow resettlement in the French
colonies. 50
Emile Roche, an influential spokesman for the Radical Party, stated in an
editorial published in La République, that high unemployment and oversaturation
prohibited France from accepting any more aliens. He called upon the Government to
promote emigration to French overseas holdings provided the project was infused with
48 Le Temps, May 5, 1938. Ibid., 174. Aliens would have to be in possession of valid visas or identity
cards or face fines or imprisonment and special powers of expulsion were granted to the prefects and
police.
49 Daladier comments to the Second Session of the Inter-ministerial Commission for German Refugees,
October 16, 1933 and November 13, 1933, Serie Z-Europe 1930-1940, Allemagne (Questions religieuses),
Archives du Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres, no. 711cited in Maga, “Closing the Door,” 428.
50 Foreign Ministry (Europe) to the Ministry of Colonies (Direction politique), June 17, 1938, MAE,
SDN, I M 1815, 153-154. Caron, Uneasy Asylum, 183.
173