The Berlin talks between Reichsbank President Hjalmar Schacht and Director George Rublee of the Intergovernmental Refugee Bureau will not necessarily be limited to the specific proposals contained in the schacht plan, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned authoritatively today, but the way is open to a full discussion of all possibilities.
Mr. Rublee is visiting Berlin upon the invitation of Dr. Schacht, who outlined to him and other bureau officials the Nazi plan binding Jewish emigration to increased exports during his recent brief visit here. Mr. Rublee will write to Dr. Schacht within a few days confirming his readiness to proceed to Berlin to continue their conversations. Dr. Schacht’s reply is expected to fix the most suitable date, which is believed to be as soon as possible after the holidays.
The conversations will be primarily between Mr. Rublee and Dr. Schacht. Refugee Committee spokesmen do not as yet know whether Mr. Rublee will also be invited to discuss the question with other German officials. This is expected to depend largely upon the progress of the Schacht discussions. A financial expert and Assistant Director Robert Pell will accompany Mr. Rublee to Berlin, it was learned. The expert is a British Treasury official assigned to the refugee committee.
Official circles described the Schacht proposals as “a very complicated plan” with many ramifications.
It was confirmed in official circles that the plan includes an international loan to finance emigration. It is understood that the loan would be secured by the pooling of Jewish property in the Reich. It would be raised abroad and would be serviced and amortized by currency obtained by the Reich through increased exports. The nations guaranteeing the raising of the loan would thus actually be taxing themselves by increased imports from Germany to repay the loan. Apparently there would be no financial obligation for the Reich, which would actually profit by the receipt of additional foreign currency since not all the currency received as result of the additional exports would be applied to the financing of emigration.
This is one of the aspects of the question studied by the Intergovernmental Committee’ experts last Thursday. It is now learned that the experts informed Mr. Rublee of their governments’ views, but it was decided that the question would probably be deliberated upon at the plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee in January unless Mr. Rublee returned from Berlin with new proposals.
Financial circles expressed the opinion that Mr. Rublee’s visit to Berlin was auspicious at this time. In view of the Nazis’ desire to provide the most harmonious background for the forthcoming Anglo-German trade talks it is believed that the Reich is prepared to make considerable concessions to avert a breakdown of the refugee talks, at least until the fate of the Anglo-German negotiations is decided.
A proposal for an international loan for settlement of refugees, made by Defense Minister Oswald Pirow of South Africa has not been submitted to the Intergovernmental Comm- ittee, Foreign Undersecretary Richard A. Butler said in the House of Commons today in reply to a question. He declined to commit the Government on the proposal.
The Earl Baldwin Fund for refugees has received £211,000 in the two weeks since it was launched, it was announced today.
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.
