Jewish Adviser to U.S. Army Discusses Immigration of Dp’s to Palestine with Bevin

Rabbi Philip M. Bernstein, adviser on Jewish affairs to the U.S. Army in Germany, disclosed today that he has been discussing with the British Government the possibility of an early, substantial movement of displaced Jews to Palestine, despite the delays in reaching a political solution of the Palestine issue. He stressed, however, that no specific figure has been mentioned.

Rabbi Bernstein met with Foreign Minister Bevin on Friday, and was given a “careful hearing,” he said. Bevin promised to convey the gist of their conversations to the Cabinet. Bernstein also saw Colonial Secretary Arthur Creech-Jones and may see the Foreign Minister again before returning to Germany.

His discussions with the British had been approved by Gen. Joseph T. McNarney, American commander in Germany, Bernstein said. Asked whether his visit had been approved by the State Department, he replied that it fell within the framework of the department’s policy.

He revealed that he was also exploring immigration possibilities with other European countries and voiced the hope that the United States would liberalize its immigration laws. He estimated that if Palestine were open, 90 percent of the DP’s would go there; if all countries admitted immigrants frealy, 75 percent would go to Palestine and the rest elsewhere, while if Palestine were closed and all other countries open, about 50 percent would still wait for admittance into Palestine.

Bernstein warned that much more delay in resettlement of the Jewish DP’s would be “catastrophic.” He said that he had told Bevin that conditions in the camps were worsening and that the growing tension between the DP’s and the Germans was held in check only by the presence of occupation troops. He emphasized that there is a strong residue of anti-Semitism in Germany, adding that “these people must not be forced to spend another winter there.”