11,349 Reich Refugees Helped by Hicem, Bernstein Reports

During the period between January, 1933, and April, 1935, the Hias-Ica Emigration Association (Hicem) and its committees aided 10,830 ordinary emigrants and 11,349 refugees from Germany to reach new homes, according to a report submitted to the Hias board of directors by Dr. James Bernstein, Hias commissioner in Europe, which was made public yesterday. Dr. Bernstein disclosed that $350,000 has been expended in transportation of emigrants in that period.

“While the ordinary emigrant pays, with very few exceptions, for his transportation,” Dr. Bernstein reported, “the transportation cost and ‘landing’ money of all the 11,000 refugees from Germany were covered by us from funds received from the Ica, Joint and English Allocation Committee. The total spent for this purpose amounted to about $350,000. Not a cent of this money was used by us for administration expenses which were, as you can well conceive, increased tremendously, and were fully met by Hias and Ica.”

4 NEW BODIES FORMED

Four new committees have been organized, in Madrid, Barcelona, Praha and Asuncion, Paraguay, Dr. Bernstein declared.

“It is estimated that during the last two years Spain has accorded refuge to more than 2,000 Jews, most of whom manage to earn a modest living,” he continued. “About 100 families, belonging to the Statenlose class, were sent by us to Paraguay. Favorable reports have been received by our committee. In fact, the reports from all our overseas committees are, on the whole, favorable, the percentage of re-emigrants being insignificant.”

Rumors that Jugoslavia is willing to admit 1,000 refugee familees were investigated and found to be baseless, the European commissioner said. Other investigations in Guatemala and Paraguay and constant reports of permanent correspondents throughout the world kept Hicem well informed as to the situation existing in every emigration and immigration country.

LISTS CURRENT NEEDS

“The situation at present with regard to the refugees from Germany is that there are still about 6,000 to be taken care of by way of emigration,” Dr. Bernstein said. Only about 2,500 of these are Jews. Of course, this figure is approximate. The number changes from day to day, depending on the legal status of the refugees in the European country in which they find themselves. If these countries will continue their course of barring foreigners from participating in the economic life of the country, the number of refugees who will be compelled to emigrate will of necessity become greater.

“Because of the restrictive immigration laws and the poverty of the prospective emigrants,” Dr. Bernstein points out, “the outlook for overseas or continental emigration from Eastern Europe is very poor for the near future. Russia, however, seems for the present to offer an opportunity for some properly selected emigrants. It is indispensable that we consider the matter and make an earnest effort to help those who want to go to Russia, by establishing offices there, which, by the way, could render more adequate help than is at present extended to those who would like to emigrate from Russia.”