The Canadian Government has refused to officially intervene with the Austrian Government for a settlement of Jewish claims for damages suffered during the Nazi regime, but it is prepared to take any other action which “may be appropriate” to see a satisfactory arrangement reached, L. D. Wilgross, Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs, has informed the Canadian Jewish Congress.
His statement was made in reply to a memorandum from the Congress requesting the Canadian Government’s assistance in the current negotiations between the Austrian Government and world Jewish groups. It reads:
“I have given serious consideration to your suggestion that we make representation to the Austrian Government regarding the settlement of Jewish claims for compensation for wrongs suffered under the Nazi regime. I do not think that it would be advisable for us to press officially the Austrian Government for the enactment of legislation on a problem which concerns a large number of people who are not Canadian citizens.
“This expression of opinion should not, however, be construed as an indication that we do not sympathise with the claims of former Austrian Jews who are now residing in Canada and that we are not prepared to take whatever other action may be appropriate in order that a satisfactory agreement will be reached in the current negotiations.
“Our intervention will of course need to be co-ordinated with that of the Governments of other countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States. I am instructing the Canadian Charge d’Affaires a. i. in Vienna to indicate informally to the Austrian Government our interest in the settlement of Jewish claims against Austria.”
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.
