I.r.o. Liquidation to Impose Heavy Burdens on Agencies

The imminent liquidation of the International Refugee Organization will put heavy financial burdens on voluntary organizations like the American Joint Distribution Committee, Henry Levy, director of the agency’s resettlement services, told the world conference of J.D.C. representatives here.

Unless a successor organization to the I.R.O. is created to finish the task of moving Europe’s homeless refugees, the voluntary agencies will have to assume transportation costs now largely borne by the I.R.O., he warned. The J.D.C., he declared, would be forced to call upon the United Jewish Appeal for additional funds to move thousands of Jewish displaced persons from Europe to new homes overseas.

Emigration of Jews from Europe to countries other than Israel is now proceeding at the rate of over 1,500 monthly, Mr. Levy reported. He praised the liberal immigration policies of Canada and Australia and noted that movement of refugees to the United States will continue in substantial numbers.

There are now 20,000 Jews registered with the Joint Distribution Committee for emigration, he said. He pointed out that in the first eight months of 1951, the Joint helped 12,000 refugees to emigrate, which was as many as the J.D.C. assisted in all of 1950. He estimated that another 5,000 would be moved before the end of the year.

The J.D.C. is planning the emigration of approximately 12,000 Jews during 1952 at a cost of at least $2,000,000, he said. He warned that the United Jewish Appeal would have to provide these funds unleash a new international organization in creased to take over the IRO’s emigration services. Emigration to Canada and Australia will be heavier in 1952, he said, but the movement to the United States will be substantial under the regular immigration quota and special provisions of the DP Act operative until 1954 which will permit between 5,000 and 6,000 Jews to enter the United States next year.