MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS: Attorney General McGranery Mr. Acheson
The Attorney General telephoned and reported to the Secretary that Ambassador Bonnet had called him to protest the decision which had been made not to give Mr. Louis Dolivet a visa. Mr. McGranery said that from Bonnet's conversation he gathered that there were "hardship" or "compassionate" considerations involved in the case and that all that the Frenchman in question wanted was a visa to come to the United States for forty-eight hours because of his son's death by drowning here.
The Secretary explained that Mr. Dolivet's history prevented the issuance of a visa and that the Department was firmly of the opinion that he was not entitled to have one. He further explained that the funeral would have taken place before Mr. Dolivet could arrive and that there were no such things as "hardship" consideration in considering visa matters. The Department also had advice that the family in the United States did not wish to have Mr. Dolivet come.
The Secretary said he understood that President Auriol was interested in the matter and that he knew there was great pressure on Bonnet from France to get the visa issued.
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Bonnet had been told by the Department that the case was in the hands of our Consul under the law; that the Consul had made the decision; that the Department could not overrule the Consul; that it could only request that he consider the matter and the Department did not see any reason for such a request to the Consul.
Mr. Acheson said that he understood that the Attorney General could, if he thought it was in the public interest, give Mr. Dolivet an exception, but the Secretary had decided that he would not ask the Attorney General to do that.
Mr. McGranery said that from what Mr. Acheson told him, he agreed completely with the Department's position.