Trooper Flying to New York to Discuss J.D.C. European Reliep Program

Morris C. Troper, chairman of the European Council of the Joint Distribution Committee, will leave here by Clipper on Thursday for a flight to America to discuss the future of the American Jewish relief program in Europe in the light of recent developments, particularly the work of securing the removal of the relatives of American citizens from the occupied countries.

“Since the collapse of France and the establishment of our Lisbon office,” Mr. Troper said here today, “we have succeeded in reuniting at least forty thousand men, women and children with their families in the United States and elsewhere. This has been done directly and through affiliated organizations which we support in whole or in part. The new Washington regulations have complicated this work, but there are still thousands of refugees awaiting transportation. Also there are other thousands who qualify, even under the new regulations, and whom we hope to get out.”

Mr. Troper emphasized that emigration of the refugees was only one phase of the work that American Jewry is conducting through the J.D.C. He cited the extensive relief program which is carried on in over fifty countries, which directly and indirectly is aiding over a million Jews. Stressing the growing impoverishment of the Jewish communities in Europe and the consequent intensification of relief needs, he pointed out that at the same time heavy demands are now being made by hundreds of thousands of Jews in the new battle areas in the East. A recent example of this, he said, was the appeal for aid received from the 6,000 Jews deported from Hungary into Galicia.

Mr. Troper disclosed that the J.D.C. has undertaken an extensive relief program in what was formerly Yugoslavia, where more than thirty thousand local Jews and two thousand refugees are dependent on the J.D.C. for maintenance. He also reported that urgent appeals have been received from Nazi-held Poland where the demand is so great that child care and feeding stations are being forced to turn away applicants because of lack of funds. The J.D.C. work in occupied Poland has greatly increased in scope as a result of the advance of the German armies, he stated.

Mr. Troper drew attention to the fact that the J.D.C. relief program in Nazi-held territories does not involve placing any foreign exchange in the hands of the fascist countries. Washington’s recent order freezing the funds of Germany, Italy and the Nazi-occupied countries did not affect the J.D.C.’s work, since under a license agreement it has received several hundred thousands of dollars to continue its activities.

Mr. Troper was feted at a dinner last night by representatives of organizations which are carrying on refugee work in Lisbon. Dr. Jemes Bernstein, European director of HIAS-ICA, was the chairman.