Geneva Parley Adopts 25-point Convention Fixing Status of German Refugees

A convention aimed at regulating the legal status of refugees from Germany in the countries in which they reside was adopted today by an inter-governmental conference attended by delegates and observers from fourteen countries. It will be signed tomorrow when the conference ends.

The convention comprises 25 articles. It extends the term "German refugee" to include those "Staatenlose" (stateless persons) who previously were refugees in Germany. The juridical section of the convention was adopted after it had been submitted by Sir Neill Malcolm, League of Nations High Commissioner for German Refugees, to the League’s economic section, and it is modelled on the Nansen convention of 1933 governing stateless persons.

On Switzerland’s proposal it was decided that persons who leave Germany in the future for economic, fiscal and military reasons are not to be considered as refugees.

Refugees will be given passports and the right to work in the countries signing the convention under one of the following conditions:

1– Residence in the country for three years;

2– Marriage to a national of the country of residence;

3– Parenthood of a child who is a citizen of the country.

Regarding deportation to Germany, the convention provides that this is permissible if the refugee had refused to obey an order to emigrate to another country within a certain period.

All refugees are given the right to enjoy the various forms of social insurance obtaining in the countries of residence.

The United States and Cuba were among the countries having delegates or observers at the conference. The conference opened Sunday and was presided over by M. Loudon of the Netherlands.

The conference resumed its deliberations after having encountered a snag yesterday in the intransigeant attitude of the Belgian delegation on a definition of "German refugee."

The Belgians introduced an amendment to a definition offered by Sir Neill limiting it only to persons who had left Germany without authorization of the Nazi authorities. Sir Neill’s proposed definition would include all former residents of Germany who were at present without nationality.

Senator Louis de Brouckere, of Belgium, vice-president of the conference, abruptly left the session and departed for Brussels. His action resulted in the Belgian delegation’s withdrawing its amendment, but at the same time announcing that the Belgian Government would not recognize the Malcolm definition and would regard as German refugees only those who left Germany without authorization of the German Government.