8,000 Saar Refugees Hold Nansen Passports, League Experts Told

The Nansen International Office is now engaged in helping settle Saar Jewish refugees in Brazil and Paraguay, it was disclosed yesterday by T. F. Johnson, secretary general of the Nansen office, appearing before the League of Nations committee of experts in session here to find a solution to the refugee problem.

Mr. Johnson declared that a special Nansen commissioner has gone to South America for that purpose and revealed that 8,000 Saar refugee Jews and non-Jews have been given Nansen passports.

Appearing in behalf of the Federation of German refugees, Dr. Georg Bernhard and Heinrich Mann, noted exiled German authors, described the plight of the refugees and urged the committee to adopt measures to assist them.

Dr. Bernhard, who is editor of the Pariser Tageblatt, emigre publication, urged that the League create a special office to deal with the refugee problem. He advised that if this office is made part of the Nansen office, it should function separately under the presidency of an influential international figure and should have at least one refugee actively in its service and other on the advisory board.

Dr. Bernhard stressed the importance of the League creating immigration possibilities in view of the large wave of Jewish refugees which may be expected shortly before the Reich.

Other suggestions offered by Dr. Bernhard include:

1) Regulation of the passport problem by issuance of recognized documents;

2) Residential permits for refugees;

3) Cooperation with the international labor office so that work permits may be obtained for refugees;

4) The League must assist in the development of social relief for refugees, particularly for children and youth.

Other speakers appearing before the committee were Dr. Arthur Ruppin and Dr. Nahum Goldmann, representing Jewish organizations. They outlined Palestine prospects for refugees.