Dr. James Bernstein Arrives from Europe; Reports on Emigration Possibilities

There is still hope that 1,000 Jewish children in France whom Argentina is ready to admit, will be permitted by the Vichy government to leave France, Dr. James Bernstein, European director of the Hias-Ica Emigration Association, declared today upon his arrival from Lisbon.

Dr. Bernstein, who visited France during his recent eleven-month stay in Europe and negotiated for the emigration of Jewish refugees from that country, also stated that the Hias-Ica headquarters in Lisbon is now engaged in arranging transportation to Palestine for about 500 Jewish refugees now in Spain and in Portugal. These refugees are members of families for whom the Jewish Agency has secured two hundred Palestine visas. They will be transported to Palestine by way of the Belgian Congo.

Dr. Bernstein revealed that the Italian authorities are now permitting Jews in small numbers to emigrate from Italy. They reach Lisbon by plane directly from Italy and secure visas to overseas countries from various consulates in Portugal.

Speaking of the activities of the Hias-Ica in Europe, Dr. Bernstein reported that the organization maintains an office in Casablanca which is now trying to secure passage for Jewish refugees wishing to emigrate from North Africa to the United States and other countries. The first small group of these refugees has already arrived here. The bulk of the Jewish refugees who are seeking emigration to oversea lands are now concentrated in Spain, he said. No refugee can emigrate from Switzerland because the country is surrounded by Axs neighbors. Dr. Bernstein arrived here on the Portugese steamer Serpa Pinto which also carried a number of Jewish refugees, including 35 children.