Mcdonald, Warburg Back; Discuss Refugee Wor

High Commissioner James G.McDonald, who is directing the international efforts on behalf of refugees from Germany, returned here last night on the French liner paris after a brief trip to Europe during which he attended a conference of the executive bodies of the autonomous governing body created by the League of Nations and the advisory council of private organizations. His trip abroad was cut short by receipt of word of the illness of his seven-year-old daughter, Barbara Anne, which necessitated his immediate return.

Mr. McDonald, reviewing the conference, which took piace at London, declared he was quite satisfie. with what it had accomplished. To a direct question asking whether he was satisfied with its results, he declared:

“Yes, as far as we were able to get. We made some progress on the question of passports and getting an agreement as to the new forms of papers for refugees who either haven’t any passports at all or whose passports have expireds.”

EXPLAINS TASK

He explained that “our plans, from the first were to help in the coordination of the work of private organizations and second, to help in negotiating with the governments concerned, and third, to help the private organization in their fund raising. The actual work on caring for the refugees has been left to the private organizations and in each of these phases of the work, progress was reported at the last meeting, and

Mr. Mcdonald was asked about his visit to Berlin, his first since he was appointed to the high commissionership. he emphasized that he was not conducting any negotiations with the German government and declared that on his recent visit he had laid a number of technical matters before officials of the German foreign Office. Asked the nature of these matters, he declined to elucidate beyond explaining they had to do with passports.

“I was received and listened to in a very courteous fashion,” he declared.

Asked about Palestine as a refuge for German Jews, Mr. McDonald declared, “Palestine took care of , it is variously estimated, between six to nine thousand refugees last year and it is hoped by those who are concerned most that this will be increased, but there are no specific plans on that considered.”

Neither Mr. Mcdonald nor Felix M. Warburg, who with Mrs. Warburg, also returned on the Paris after speaking for the Jews of America at the London conferece, would discuss the possible effects of the situation on the refugee question. When Mr. McDonald was asked whether, in his opinion, developments in Austria would no increase the refugee tide, he declared, “I’d rether not express any opinion on that.”

Mr. Warburg declined to discuss the London conference, referring questions to Mr. McDonald. He declared that London was worried about the general European situation but declared it too complex to talk about.

Mr. McDonald declared that while in this country he would confer with officials of the State and Labor Departments, with Professor Joseph P. Chamberlain, American member of the autonomus body for refugee aid, and with a number of private organizations. There is a possibility, he declared, that he will visit Canada before returning to Europe in March.

Asked about the future course of the refugee aid work, Mr. McDonald declared, “That is difficult to say because it depends on a number of factors you cannot tell about now, namely, the action of various governments and the fund available with which to move.”