“Provisional measures” and recommendations for permanently caring for German refugees, submitted to the League of Nations Council by its committee of five on international assistance to refugees, were made public today. The committee urges their acceptance by the League Assembly at its meeting September.
Appointment of a prominent person to take over the position of High Commissioner for Refugees relinquished by James G. McDonald of New York was chief of the temporary measures proposed. The temporary proposals were adopted unanimously.
Two alternative proposals for permanent solution of the refugee question, both adopted with Ambassador de Michaelis of Italy dissenting, were submitted to the League Assembly. The Assembly is asked to turn over refugee work to the Nansen International Office as one of its special organizations with some eminent personality to be named president of the office and direct the refugee work.
The refugee organization would consist of a council of representatives of the various governments with voting rights, augmented by representatives of Jewish and non-Jewish organizations with “consulting” powers. After the liquidation of the Nansen office in 1938, the refugee organization would become autonomous under the auspices of the League.
As an alternative, in case the other proposal is rejected, the committee recommends creation of an autonomous international organization for protection of refugees from Germany under League auspices. The resident of this organization would be aided by an administrative council.
The outline of the temporary proposals to the League council follows:
1) Appointment of a prominent person who, with the aid of the technical departments of the League Secretariat, would undertake continuation of Mr. McDonald’s work.
2) Convocation of an inter-government conference for unifying the legal status of German refugees.
3) Circulation of a questionnaire among the governments asking data on their ability to absorb refugees.
4) Working out a program for promotion of emigration from Germany to Palestine, South America and other countries.
5) Preparation of a complete report on the refugee problem for submission to the Assembly at its September 1 meeting.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
