Large Tract Bought in Costa Rica to Found Farm Colony for Refugees

PURCHASE OF A LARGE TRACT IN THE CENTRAL AMERICAN REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA FOR A SETTLEMENT FOR JEWISH REFUGEES FROM GERMANY WAS CONFIRMED TODAY BY THE REFUGEE ECONOMIC CORPORATION HERE. CHARLES J. LIEBMAN, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE CORPORATION, WHICH HAS OFFICES AT 40 EXCHANGE PLACE, SAID THAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEVELOPING THE COLONY WERE BEING PRESSED AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.

THE CORPORATION, WHICH IS BACKING THE PROJECT, HAS PURCHASED 50,000 ACRES OF LAND IN THE STATE OF GUANACASTE, ON THE PACIFIC COAST, AT A REPORTED CASH PRICE OF $50,000. THE LAND COMPRISES THE HISTORIC TENORIO ESTATE, HELD FOR MANY YEARS BY THE BANK OF COSTA RICA ON A FORECLOSED MORTGAGE.

THE TRACT, FOR WHICH THE ORIGINAL GRANT WAS MADE IN THE DAYS OF THE CONQUISTADORES, ACCORDING TO A SAN JOSE DISPATCH TO THE NEW YORK TIMES, IS ABOUT 30 PER CENT CLEARED PASTURE, AND THE REMAINDER FOREST ON WHICH THE BIG TREES STILL STAND. THE DEAL WAS CONSUMMATED ON ADVICE OF A.J. BRUMAN, AN AGRICULTURAL EXPERT FORMERLY CONNECTED WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

THE PURCHASE, THE TIMES SAID, IS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF SETTLEMENT PROJECTS IN LAT-IN AMERICA FOR JEWISH REFUGEES TO BE FOSTERED BY THE CORPORATION. ACTION IS BEING SPEEDED BECAUSE OF THE CURTAILMENT OF JEWISH IMMIGRATION INTO PALESTINE BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN VIEW OF ITS PARTITION PLAN.

THE JEWISH REFUGEES TO BE SETTLED IN COSTA RICA WILL ALL BE PEASANTS AND FARMERS. THE COLONY WILL BE ENTIRELY MODERN IN ITS EQUIPMENT. A NETWORK OF ROADS TO COVER THE ENTIRE COLONY IS PART OF THE PLAN, MODEL FARMHOUSES AND VILLAGES WILL BE BUILT, AND THE ESTATE MAY EVEN HAVE AN AIRPORT.

THE NECESSARY LARGE PURCHASES OF ROAD-MAKING FARM EQUIPMENT AND BUILDING MATERIALS WILL BE MADE CHIEFLY IN THE UNITED STATES. THE PROJECT WILL HAVE ADEQUATE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THROUGH THE SACKING OF THE REFUGEE ECONOMIC CORPORATION.

THE LAND IS REPORTED TO BE HIGHLY SUITED TO CULTIVATION OF SOY BEANS, WHICH ARE NOT GROWN IN COSTA RICA AT PRESENT. THEY MAY, THEREFORE, BE THE FIRST MAIN CROP. THE PLAN IS TO ENABLE THE SETTLERS TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. OIL OR MINERALS, IF FOUND UNDER THE LAND, WILL BE EXPLOITED, THE TIMES SAID.

THE TRACT LIES ALONG THE ROUTE OF THE PROPOSED INTER-AMERICAN HIGHWAY WHICH, WHEN BUILT, WILL RUN THROUGH OR NEAR THE ESTATE.

ARRANGEMENTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN MADE WITH THE COSTA RICAN GOVERNMENT FOR ADMISSION OF THE REFUGEES TO THE COUNTRY, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT NO SPECIAL PERMISSION WILL BE REQUIRED, SINCE THEY WILL IMMIGRATE TO WORK THEIR OWN LANDS, ACCORDING TO THE TIMES. THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDERSTOOD TO BE SYMPATHETIC TO THE PROJECT SINCE THE COUNTRY IS UNDERDEVELOPED AND ITS POLICY IS TO ENCOURAGE USE OF IDLE LAND.

THERE IS A COLONY OF GERMANS IN THE COUNTRY, MANY OF WHOM HAVE LONG RESIDED THERE AND HAVE INTERMARRIED WITH COSTA RICANS. BOTH THE GERMAN CONSUL AND THE LOCAL NAZI PARTY LEADER WERE UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE STATED THEY WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE PLAN, THE TIMES SAID.

THE NAZI LEADER, THE DISPATCH REPORTED, SAID HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED BY GERMANY’S PROPAGANDA MINISTER, JOSEPH GOEBBELS, TO HAVE THE GERMAN RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTRY BOYCOTT THE JEWS. BERLIN, THE TIMES SAID, HAS INSTRUCTED ITS REPRESENTATIVES NOT TO OVERLOOK ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR STRESSING THE IDEA THAT JEWS ARE A MENACE TO CIVILIZATION. HOWEVER, THE COSTA RICAN NAZI LEADER IS REPORTED TO HAVE GIVEN ASSURANCES THAT HE WOULD NOT ASK ANY DIRECT ACTION AGAINST THE JEWS, EVEN IF HE COULD DO SO WITH ANY HOPE OF SUCCESS.