Canadian Senate Body Urges Increased Immigration but Mum on Admittance of Jews

The combing of Europe for new “selected” citizens has been urged by the Senate Immigration committee in a report submitted to the government, but no mention is made of the appeals to open the doors of Canada to a number of Europe’s D.P.’s and refugees.

Although the report says that immigration is necessary if Canada is to hold its place abroad and maintain and improve the standard of living at home, it recommends that “immigrants should be carefully selected and that admissions should not exceed the number which can be absorbed from time to time without creating conditions of unemployment, reducing the standard of living or otherwise endangering Canadian economy.”

In a wired appeal to the government the Canadian Jewish Congress urged it to take immediate action to admit Polish Jews who have relatives in Canada. The telegram stated in part: “Announcement by the Canadian Government at this time of immediate admission of a reasonable number of displaced persons and broadening of categories of admission would place Canada in a proper light, would relieve frightful problem overseas and would give new hope for victims of religious and racial persecutions by the Nazis at a time when they are becoming convinced that they are forgotten by the democratic Allied world.”

George S. Mooney, chief executive officer of UNRRA in Europe, has also recommended that Canada admit “a reasonable number” of Jews who are displaced persons in Europe, stating that “both the interests of humanity and the interests of Canada would thereby be served.” In a statement submitted to the Standing Senate Committee on Immigration and Labor, Mr. Mooney said that he had visited more than fifty of the D.P. camps, had talked to many of the Jews there and “had ample opportunity to appraise their general outlook and mode of living.”