The 841 refugees and displaced persons who arrived today from the American zone of Germany aboard the S.S. “Marine Marlin” were greeted on board ship by former Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, who was accompanied by William Rosenwald, honorary president of the United Service for New Americans and national chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, and Edwin Rosenberg, president of the U.S.N.A. and national vice-chairman of the U.J.A. More than 300 of them were sponsored by the J.D.C. which arranged their passage.
The immigrants, most of them concentration camp survivors, were the largest group to arrive from the American zone since President Truman issued his directive a year ago, facilitating the admission of 39,000 refugees and displaced persons to the United States during the year. Only about 5,000 have entered so far.
In welcoming the newcomers, Morgenthau emphasized that their admission to this country as quota immigrants is another instance of America’s readiness to holp the oppressed. At the same time, he pointed out that it should be remembered that the 841 immigrants are only a small fraction of the great number of homeless and displaced people of many nationalities and faiths.
“Among these,” the former Secretary of the Treasury said, “the Jews of Europe are the most insecure of all, and have suffered the most keenly. To relieve their misery, set them on the road to security, and enable as many as possible to emigrate and rebuild their lives in the United States, in Palestine, or other countries, the United Jewish Appeal plans to raise $170,000,000 in 1947.
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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.