Dp’s May Remain in Germany for Ten Years if No Urgent Action Taken, Bernstein Warns

Unless international action is taken soon, thousands of displaced persons may have to remain in Germany from 10 to 20 years with disastrous consequences, David Bernstein representative of the American Jewish Committee, told a press conference here today following his return from a seven-month mission in Europe.

Mr. Bernstein, former special adviser to the Philippine Government, reported that with the exception of Germany, anti-Semitiem has not reached critical proportions in the western part of Europe. A very substantial number of Jews there, he stated, retain their confidence in their Christian neighbors, and firmly intend to rebuild their lives in the countries where they had long since taken root as integrated citizens. But the democratic forces, on which they depend, need encouragement from America.

“There are, of course, many thousands of European Jews whose only desire is to emigrate–to Palestine, the Western Hemisphere, or elsewhere,” he pointed out. “It is only natural that Jewish displaced persons, as well as Jews in countries where persecution and privation have been chronic, should want to leave Europe. As a matter of fact, their desire is not greatly different from that of many non-Jewish Europeans.”

SWEDEN IS CENTER OF ORGANIZED INTERNATIONAL ANTI-SEMITIC PROPAGANDA

Emphasizing that anti-Semitism is still widespread in Germany, Mr. Bernstein stated that the “most highly organized machine for international Nazi and anti-Semitic propaganda in the world today” exists in Sweden, where the problem is receiving serious attention in the press and parliament. Its nominal chief is a Swedish citizen named Einar Aaberg who lives in a small town not far from Stockholm, but it is widely known that he has neither the funds nor the brains to run this campaign on his own. His Nazi and anti-Semitic propaganda is shipped through the mails in great quantities, addressed to names picked at random from telephone directories, and has been received in the United States, Canada, Britain, South Africa, France and elsewhere.

“In England,” Mr. Bernstein reported, “many Jews are fearful of an increase of anti-Semitism, partly as a hangover of const(##)t Nazi propaganda since 1933 and partly as a result of tension and terrorism in Palestine. Recent irresponsible utterances in the United States have caused much bitterness in Britain, and create difficulties for the leading personalities and organizations working for understanding between Christians and Jews.”