Deadlocked by the refusal of Italiam Ambassador Giuseppe de Michelis to agree to League aid to refugees, the other four members of the League Council’s expert committee on international aid to refugees have completed a majority report to be published at the League Council meeting January 20, it was learned today.
While neither the majority nor minority report was made public, it was learned that Signer Michelis’ recommendation demands that the refugee problem be left to private philanthropy.
The majority report, subscribed to by the British, French, Czechslovakian and Norwegian experts, recommends establishment of either an autonomous section for refugees attached to the Nansen International Office with the president of the Nansen Office the automatic High Commissioner for Refugees, or establishment of a separate office for refugees directly responsible to the League Council.
Although the Council will discuss the reports next month, final decision rests with the Assembly, which will meet next September. Meanwhile, the committee has proposed as a provisional measure the appointment of a special high commissioner for refugees who, with the technical assistance of the League Secretariat, would serve until September.
The provisional plan would entail selection of a new high commissioner to replace James G. McDonald, whose resignation is effective Dec. 31. Among the names being mentioned in connection with the commissionership is Sir Herbert Samuel, who was the first British High Commissioner for Palestine.
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