Speech #830015274

Gray. of the Secretarys office. It was my feeling that if the Browders were friendly to the administration and to our Government that they would not demand that the case be considered just prior to election as it was bound to be made a political issue. The authorization to grant a visa was forwarded to the American consulate general at Montreal and Mrs. Browder was informed accordingly. The consulate general forwarded a regular form letter to Mrs. Browder informing her that she should present herself in person at the consulate general supplied with the necessary documents. A postscript was added to the general effect that a visa would be withheld if it were found that she was inadmissible under the Immigration Act and I believe that she telephoned to Washington to. inquire as to the meaning of such a postscript. I discussed the matter again with the Secretarys office and with Mr. Berle and it was decided that I should telephone to the consulate general and state that the case had been approved by the immigration board of appeals and by the Presidents board of appeals. When I telephoned. the consul general was in the hospital for an eye operation. Consul Johnson. who was temporarily in charge. was at lunch and I therefore spoke with Vice Consul Callahan. who is in charge of issuing visas. I gave him the information concerning the boards decision and told him that the case had a green light. but certainly never stated that the visa must be issued nor did I imply that they had been stupid in the handling of the case. as has been .ndicated by the newspapers. Consul Pinkerton examined the documents when they were submitted by Mrs. Browder and was evidently very much perturbed concerning the issuance of the visa as it had been he who had placed the postscript on the letter to Mrs. Browder. Unfortunately. Mr. Pinkerton had a nervous breakdown some time previous and for that reason had not been placed actually in charge of the visa office. He was annoyed at not being placed in charge but I feel the consul general was quite correct as he could not have stood the nervous strain in his nervous condition. We must realize that this officer had recently been a patient -at St.