Telegraphic Address: TRADUNIC, SOWEST, LONDON.
Telephone: Victoria 9020.
Trades Union Congress
GENERAL SECRETARY
SIR WALTER CITRINE KBE
To whom all communications should be addressed.
Department International
Our ref. HVT/AC/RC/128
Your ref.
TRANSPORT HOUSE,
SMITH SQUARE,
LONDON, S.W.1.
1st November, 1939.
SPANISH SEAMEN.
We have been in communication with the Home Office on the question of the Spanish seamen's permits to remain in this country being extended on some general basis.
The Home Office are sympathetic, and in order to assist them to handle the matter, we have agreed to give them a complete list of the Spanish seamen in our charge, together with certain particulars which would enable the authorities to view the problem as a whole.
I shall therefore be obliged if you will secure the information on the attached questionnaire in respect of all the Spanish seamen who are under your care.
The point in the last column, viz., the reference number which the Home Office gives to each man, is not available in all cases, but where it does exist it is written in pencil on one of the last pages, or the cover, of the passport, seamen's registration book, or police registration certificate; the reference is easily recognisable, since it consists of the initial letter of the seamen's surname, and a number.
I appreciate that this letter is bound to cause you a certain amount of additional work at the present time, but you will be compensated for your effort by the lightening of the problems later. The policy indicated is being pursued to avoid difficulties with passports as they fall due.
Yours sincerely,
H. V. TEWSON,
Assistant Secretary.
Enc. Questionnaire.
P.S. If the 6 passports mentioned in your letter of 24th October have not yet been returned by the Home,Office, please complete and return questionnaires in respect of remainder.
