Invasion May Improve Situation of Jews in Satellite Countries

Well-informed circles in Washington today expressed the opinion that the Allied invasion may result in stepping-up of German extermination of Jews, but, at the same time, may have a beneficial effect for Jews in Nazi-satellite countries.

“The satellites of Germany may bow to the threat of the oncoming Allied armies and abandon their Nazi-inspired persecution of Jews,” it was stated here today. It was emphasized that with a brief one-day pause during which only the news of the invasion will be broadcast, the Office of War Information will continue to broadcast warnings to European countries against anti-Jewish action, including the one by President Roosevelt regarding the consequences for those continuing the persecution of Jews, as well as similar warnings made recently by Secretary of State Cordell Hull and by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Attention was drawn here to the fact that the majority of the Jews who are still in France are concentrated in the southern part of the country, the section that remained unoccupied longest and that is near to the Spanish frontier. Hope was expressed that with the development of the invasion, the Spanish authorities may be willing to admit many of these Jews to Spain in transit to “free ports” which are being contemplated.

At the War Refugee Board it was indicated today that it is too early to say whether the rescue of Jews from Europe will be slowed for a time due to the invasion. It is not expected that the invasion will hinder rescue work through Turkey.

A larger flow of Jewish refugees from occupied Yugoslavia into Italy was predicted here as a result of the liberation of Rome and the latest developments on the Italian front. These refugees will be transported from Italy to North Africa, it was stated.