More than a million-and-a-half Jews in Central European countries, especially in Hungary former Czecho-Slovakia, are affected by anti-Jewish laws and the ruthless racial oppression stimulated by Germany, and the situation is growing steadily worse, Dr. Bernhard Kahn, honorary chairman of the Executive Committee of the Joint Distribution Committee, declared today. He arrived in the United States last night on the liner Ile de France.
” There are at least 5,000,000 Jews in Europe who depend on assistance which comes mainly from American Jewry, “Dr. Kahn said. “As a matter of fact it can safely be said that for each Jew in America who is able to contribute relief, there is another Jew in Europe who must be helped.”
Emigration, Dr. Kahn stated, is the only practical solution of the refugee problem and at present time tens of thousands of Jews hope that investigations being conducted by American and British groups in various oversea territories will lead to the opening of these lands to Jewish immigration and settlement. Immigrants and countries alike will benefit by this immigration, he said.
Dr. Kahn divided the 15,000,000 Jews of the world into three categories one third which can just support itself without assistance, one third which cannot continue its existence without relief from abroad and the remaining composed of American, British, French Dutch, and Belgian Jews, who are able to raise funds for their needy brethren abroad.
Emphasizing the great assistance which the J.D.C. is rendering to practically all the needy Jews in European countries, Dr. Kahn estimated that there are at least 150,000 Jewish refugees scattered today in various democratic European countries, such as England. France, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, and Scandinavia, as well in countries of Central Europe, where many thousands of Jews have been made refugees by recent political developments and the consequent changes of borders.
“Today there are not only difficulties in the countries of possible immigration, ” he said, “but there are increased obstacles in Germany and in the German controlled parts of Central Europe which make it difficult for Jews to emigrate. It is daily harder to obtain passports to leave these countries, yet there is increased pressure to drive the Jews out. It is hoped that the result of the Rubles arrangement with Germany may in some way help to alleviate the situation.
“The hope of all Jews in distress is America, “he declared. “America is the country where most of the Jews live and enjoy freedom and liberty and the generosity of American Jews since the great war raises the hopes of all Jews in countries where oppression is rife? American Jews have come to the rescue of their distressed brethren on previous occasions, and I am sure American Jewry will not disappoint victims of oppression during these trying times.”
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