Dominican Refugee Pact Signed; Settlement to Start Soon on Tract Given by Trujillo

A contract between the Dominican Republic and the American-organized Dominican Republic Settlement Association for colonization of German refugees was signed at 11 o’clock this morning with ceremonies at the National Palace attended by Government officials, officers of the association, diplomats and officials of refugee-aid bodies.

The contract requires ratification by the Dominican Congress and also the passage of several new laws to implement it. The contract exempts the settlers from entry taxes and guarantees them full legal, civic and economic rights and religious freedom. The association is also exempted from taxation.

It is expected that the legal technicalities will be cleared away within a month and colonization will then begin on a tract of 24,000 acres named Sosua which was contributed personally by General Rafael L. Trujillo, commander of the Dominican Army and former President. The tract was chosen as the first site for colonization by Dr. Joseph A. Rosen, vice-president of the association, after a month’s inspection of available land.

This tract already has a number of houses and is described by association officials as having the facilities for proper settlement, including good soil and ample water.

The settlement will begin with 500 Jewish and non-Jewish refugee families and is expected to proceed gradually until ultimately 100,000 refugees are engaged in the colonization on the various tracts covered by the contract.

The contract was executed by Secretary of Agriculture Manuel Salvador Gautier and Secretary of Interior Jose Garcia, for the Government, and by James N. Rosenberg, president, and Dr. Rosen for the Dominican Republic Settlement Association.

Witnesses to the signing were Robert Pell, of the United States State Department, representing Myron C. Taylor, American vice-chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee, and Harold Linder, of the Coordinating Foundation, whose chairman, ex-Premier Paul van Zeeland of Belgium, will probably arrive here on Feb. 12. Also present were General Trujillo, members of the Dominican Cabinet and Supreme Court and diplomatic officials of the nations which are members of the Intergovernmental Committee.

Speeches were made by General Trujillo, Pell, Rosenberg, Linder, Morris and Vice-President Manuel de Jesus Troncoso de la Concha. Officials of the association praised the “splendid cooperation” of the Government. Rosenberg said the contract was “wholly satisfactory.” Other members of the American group, including Pell and Morris, said they were pleased at the Government’s cooperation.

Rosenberg will probably arrive in New York on Feb. 10 and will report full details of the developments here. He said that “we are all delighted” at this implementation of the Evian program.