The president of United Hias Service, the worldwide Jewish migration society, today hailed the intention of the State Department to provide visas to Polish Jews wishing to emigrate to the United States. A State Department source was quoted in yesterday’s New York Post as saying that the Department was prepared to accommodate “any foreseeable demand” by Jews who seek to emigrate. He gave assurances that enough visa and refugee openings were available to handle as many as could come.
Carlos L. Israels, Hias president said, the agency is “extremely pleased” with the Department’s humanitarian concern. “As in the past our agency is ready to assist any Jew in Poland who succeeds in leaving that country to come to the United States should he wish to do so. Our agency,” he said, “is in constant touch with the Department and other Government agencies with respect to working out viable plans and procedures for the admission of oppressed and persecuted Polish Jews. We urge relatives of Polish Jews who wish to effect family reunion with them in this country to contact United Hias or local cooperating family service agencies for counseling and technical assistance,” Mr. Israels said.
The Post article said that under the current immigration law, the U. S. could accommodate large numbers of Polish Jews by using national quotas. A law which takes effect July 1 abolishes these quotas but allows 10, 000 visas for refugees to be applied as needed. The State Department source told The Post that should there be a mass exodus to the U. S., the Department would be willing to seek extraordinary authority under immigration laws to admit the refugees if it was needed.
The Department is apparently not expecting an immediate influx of Polish Jews. The official noted that their big problem is getting out of the country, since, under normal procedures, applications for exit visas take from two to four months to process. Last week columnist Drew Pearson reported that President Johnson was personally eager to provide a haven in the U. S. for Polish Jews who want to escape the anti-Semitic campaign in their country.
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.
