Britain Proceeds with Kenya Settlement Plan

Reports that the Kenya Government has decided to close the doors of the colony to Jewish refugees were officially denied in London.

It is pointed out that these reports originated from the fact that the Kenya Government had recently tightened the immigration regulations against individual immigrants. This, however, does not mean that the British Government has given up its plan to settle a certain limited number of Jewish refugees in Kenya. On the contrary, the J.T.A. is given authoritatively to understand that the government is going ahead with its scheme and that the more stringent immigration regulations in force at present have been introduced to prevent any mass influx of immigrants which might wreck the scheme even before it had been worked out.

It is understood that one of the chief provisions of the proposed plan for settling Jewish refugees in Kenya will exact a guarantee from every refugee settling in Kenya that he will not fall a charge upon the colony.

So far as the Kenya settlers are concerned, the J.T.A. learns from a highly reliable source that the publicity given to the proposed scheme to settle a certain number of Jewish refugees in Kenya by the Evian conference has resulted in a good deal of adverse criticism. On the whole, however, there is much sympathy for the plight of German and Austrian Jewry and this sympathy, if properly handled, can be transformed into concrete assistance so far as providing homes for the refugees is concerned. Offers of shelter have already been received by the Jewish community in Nairobi and gratefully accepted. Although only a very small number of refugees can be absorbed, this is taken as a sufficient indication that a concrete settlement scheme, moderate in its conception and financially sound, would meet with no opposition in the colony. It is pointed out, however, that the only opportunities that exist in this small colony are for farm assistants, although there may be also a few openings for motor mechanics. Finally, it is emphasized that a knowledge of English is absolutely essential to ensure success in a reasonable period.