So when I saw him
[FDR] this morning the whole subject of immigration,
visas, safety of the United States, procedures
to be followed; and all that sort of thing
was on the table. I found that he was 100%
in accord with my ideas. He said that when
Myron Taylor, [the President's personal representative
to the Vatican], had returned from Europe
recently the only thing which they discussed
outside of Vatican matters was the visa and
refugee situation and the manner in which
our Consulates were being deprived of a certain
amount of discretion by the rulings of the
Department...The President expressed himself
as in entire accord with the policy which
would exclude persons about whom there was
any suspicion that they would be inimical
too the welfare of the United States no matter
who had vouchsafed for them and irrespective
of their financial or other standing. I left
him with the satisfactory thought that he
was wholeheartedly in support of the policy
which would resolve in favor of the United
States any doubts about admissibility of
any individual.
From: “The War Diary of Breckinridge Long”; ed.
Fred L. Israel; University of Nebraska Press, 1966.