Late News on Refugee Conference Philippines Offer to Accept ‘considerable’ Immigrants

An offer to permit a “considerable number of involuntary immigrants” to settle in Mindanao, southernmost of the Philippine Islands, was raised for discussion at an all-day session of the Intergovernmental Refugee Committee today. Mindanao, 37,000 miles square, is one of the largest of the islands. The soil is exceedingly fertile and well-suited for the cultivation of rice, sugar-cane, cotton, corn, tobacco and coffee. The island has an excellent climate and can absorb a great number of refugees, it was said.

Australia’s plan to assimilate 15,000 refugees within the next three years and the Dominican Republic’s offer to accept 100,000 also were discussed, together with the relief efforts already undertaken or projected by Britain, France, the United States, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Lord Winterton, chairman and spokesman for Britain, stressed the important financial aid already extended by Britain. England, because of its dense population, can serve only as a country of “transition” and “technical preparation” for refugees, he said. He pointed, however, to efforts to find havens in other parts of the empire. Speaking for the United States, Vice-Chairman Myron C. Taylor observed that his country already was absorbing 30,000 German emigrants annually. A great number of temporary permits have been made permanent, he further pointed out. The committee was unanimous in recognizing that France, instead of being called upon for further help, had reason to expect considerable aid from the committee. France already harbors 200,000 German refugees, as well as Spanish refugees.

“Reference also was made,” a communique tonight said, “to the investigation now in progress regarding the possibilities of settlement in British Guiana, Northern Rhodesia and Surinam (Dutch Guiana).” Before adjourning until tomorrow afternoon, the committee formally designated Tomas Alberto le Breton, Argentine Ambassador to Paris, as one of the organization’s vice-chairman. Officials, expressing their deep regret over Mr. Rublee’s withdrawal, emphasized that he was retiring from his post and was not resigning from the committee.

The communique advised: “The committee gave preliminary consideration to the future organization of the office of the committee in view of Rublee’s retirement. It then heard statements from representatives of the United States, France, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, Australia, Belgium and the United Kingdom concerning the contributions which these governments were in a position to make towards solution of the problem of involuntary emigration. Reference was made particularly to offers made by the Government of Commonwealth of the Philippines concerning the settlement of a considerable number of involuntary immigrants in its territory.”