AEMI

SUSANA SABÍN-FERNÁNDEZ
61
Ruins of Gernika after the bombing of April 26, 1937 by the Luftwaffe
Photo: William Smallwood Archive
American consular officer who receives
the passport visa application’. 38
Also, J. F. Robinson, on behalf of the
Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the
American Revolution (MSSAR), asked
the secretary of state to refuse to cooperate
with the project, which he said was
not in the best interests of either the
children or the nation. 39 Other organizations,
such as the Junior Order of the
United American Mechanics 40 and the
American Coalition ( ‘an organization to
coordinate the efforts of patriotic, civic
and fraternal societies to keep America
American’) 41 also opposed the project in
letters to the State Department.
The telegram campaign soon reached
Congress. On May 25, Senator Henry
C. Lodge (1902-1985) of Massachusetts,
relayed his disapproval to U.S. Secretary
of State Cordell Hull; Rep. Charles
R. Clason (1890-1985) of Massachusetts,
did the same, saying that ‘to use
these children for exploitation purposes
is an example of extreme cruelty and
heartlessness’ 42 ; Rep. John W. McCormack
(1891-1980) of Massachusetts,
denounced the project as ‘Red propaganda’
and became one of its most ardent
opponents. He met with Secretary
of Labor Frances Perkins (1880-1965)
and Undersecretary of State Sumner
Welles (1892-1961) in person. He also
communicated with the Department
of Immigration, the State Department
and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 43
Finally, Massachusetts Senator David
Ignatius Walsh (1872-1947), who reported
that he had received 500 telegrams
in one day opposing the project,