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French Official Warns Poland’s Madagascar Body Not to Stir False Hopes

May 12, 1937
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Colonial Minister Marius Moutet revealed today that he warned a Polish Government commission, prior to its departure last week to investigate colonization possibilities in Madagascar, not to “arouse illusions among certain unfortunate people.”

Declaring he voiced the warning in the presence of the Polish Ambassador, M. Moutet said:

“I emphasized that the enterprise is difficult and possible only in a small experimental way with restricted numbers of healthy people possessing sufficient funds. I pointed out that experience has proved a long time necessary for Europeans to adapt themselves to colonial conditions. We favor colonization experiments in Madagascar for nations who have no colonies, but this does not mean that we wish to provoke an exodus.”

The investigative commission, appointed by the Polish Government to examine possibilities for Jewish settlement offered late last year by the French authorities, includes two Jewish experts who, however, are on the commission in their private capacities rather than as representatives of Jewish organizations with which they are connected.

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