High Commissioner for German Refugees James G. McDonald reported that he has made progress along all three lines of his task as laid down at Lausanne, according to a communique issued today after the close of the London meeting of the executives of the League of Nations autonomous body and of the private organizations working with the High Commissioner.
The functions of the High Commissioner as outlined at Lausanne are: Coordination of the activities of the provate organizations, both Jewish and non-Jewish; encouraging and supplementing the efforts of all organizations attempting to secure adequate funds for relief and reconstruction, and negotiations with governments j on techincal matters such as passports and the admission of a large number of refugees.
The London meeting approved the work already done, urging the necessity okf gong forward along the lines laid down as rapidly as possible.
The communique stated that on his recent trip to the United states High Commissioner McDonald conferred with a number of officials in Washington and with the leaders of private organizations. It is clear, the communique pointed out, that both officials and public opinion in the United States take a deep and sympathetic interest in the plight of ther United States take a deep and sympathetic interest in the plight of the German refugees. Plans are being made throughout the United States to continue and enlarge frnancial aid for the needy. There is, morecover, an increasing understanding among Americans that the whole questine is not merely and not even primarily a Jewish question, and that it may therefore be expected that Christian leadership in American will play a prominent role on behalf of the refugees.
A survey has been made on the problem of immigration and settlement for the refugees, the communique stated. Apart from Palestine, which is absorbing a steady stream of refugees from Germany, it will be necessary to organize emigration to other countries overseas. Negotiations for the admission of refugees will be carried on by the High Commissioner with the governments concerned. The actual settlement of the refugees will be conducted by specific organizations at the conclusion of the negotiations with the governments.
A survey was alos made of the work for retraining regugees which is being carried on vigorously in a number of countries. Youths from the universities and from the professions are beging turned into agaricultural and teachnical workers. High Commissioner McDonald said, reproting activities in this dircetion in Holland, France and England.
Another object considered at the London meeting, which was described as one of hte most acute and urgent, was the problem of passports for the refugees, the communique stated. A suggestion was advanced that High Commissioner McDonald, like High Commissioner Fridtjof Nansen, issue new documents, but this was held unnecessary and it was suggested that in ternational passports already in existence, in accordance with the decision of the League of Naions in 1927, should also be issued to all German refugees. A number of governments are now considering technical points connected with the passport suggestions, it was stated.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
