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Sees Plight of Refugees Grown Worse

November 2, 1934
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For the first time since the victory of Hitlerism started the flow of refugees from Germany, many of the German Jewish exiles now find themselves in terrible misery, James G. McDonald, League of Nations High Commissioner for German Refugees, reported today at the opening session of the refugee governing body.

Destitution among the refugees is increasing. Their funds have been exhausted. Further export of money from Germany has been prohibited. With winter approaching, the situation of the refugees is tragic, the High Commissioner said, adding that the conditions of the exiles in Paris and in Praha was particularly bad.

“Pressure of economic and other conditions on the whole generation of young Jewish men and women continues such as to make their future within Germany difficult and doubtful, and within the next few months events in the Saar may add largely to the total of refugees,” Mr. McDonald said.

Reviewing the work of his commission since its inception, the High Commissioner said that none were satisfied, owing to the negative attitude of the German government, the lack of funds, lack of cooperation from other governments, and the fact that Christian groups, despite repeated appeals, had never contributed to the upkeep of the 15,000 Christian refugees.

Only the united Jewish groups, the Jewish Colonization Association and the British Central Fund for German Jewry had assisted to the limit of their resources, Mr. McDonald stated.

Emigration difficulties were greater than merely finding countries for the refugees to settle in, the High Commissioner said, but the great problem was primarily,

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