Directors of War Refugee Board and Intergovernmental Committee Meet in Washington

The work of rescuing Jews from occupied Europe will be intensified as a result of a conference here today between Sir Herbert Emerson, director of the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees, and John W. Pehle, director of the War Refugee Board. Patrick Malin, the American vice-director of the Inter-governmental Committee, was also present.

Sir Herbert, who recently arrived in this country from London, disclosed that he will meet with Myron C. Taylor, the “father” of the Evian Conference who is vice-president of the Intergovernmental Committee and a member of President Roosevelt’s Advisory Committee on Refugees. Sir Herbert will also meet with the members of the War Refugee Board and intends to confer with leaders of various American voluntary relief organizations which, he said, are doing invaluable work in the field of refugee assistance.

WAR REFUGEE BOARD APPOINTS REPRESENTATIVE IN SWEDEN

Meanwhile, it was announced here today by Mr. Pehle that the War Refugee Board has appointed a special representative for Sweden. The appointee, Iver C. Olsen, has been assigned to the U. S. Legation in Stockholm as a special attache on war refugee matters. A native of Norway, he has been financial attache of the Treasury’s Division of Monetary Research since last October. Prior to that he was special assistant to the Director of Foreign Funds Control.

The Board also reported today that Ira Hirshmann, its representative in Turkey, has already left Ankara en route to Washington for urgent consultations on matters concerning the rescue of Jews from Nazi satellite countries. (The Turkish ship “Maritza” carrying 260 Jewish refugees from Rumania without any visas reached Istanbul yesterday. The refugees were permitted to land and left today by train for Aleppo en route to Palestine.)

SATELLITES WARNED NOT TO DEPORT JEWS; SPAIN SOLE REMAINING REFUGE

In a speech prepared for delivery before the Women’s National Press Club, Pehle disclosed that the recent return of 40,000 Jewish deportees from Transnistria was directly the result of pressure exerted on Rumania by the War Refugee Board. Pehle said the Board is working through neutral channels to prevent satellites from deporting Jews to Poland end is bringing pressure to assist persecuted peoples’ escape. He revealed that satellites have been well-advised in their own interests to take advantage of such opportunities as may be available to them in the future to permit refugees to depart across their borders into territories of any neutral countries which may be prepared to receive them.

Pehle again stressed the importance of Spain as one of the last outlets remaining in Europe. In view of the military developments in the Balkans, he said, Spain may be the sole remaining refuge. He revealed that money is being sent abroad because of the Treasury’s decision to lift restrictions in the “Trading with the Enemy Act” both with communications with enemy territory and financial transactions with enemy territory to the extent necessary to aid the Board.