Rep. Francis E. Walter of Pennsylvania said today that he will introduce a new displaced persons bill on Jan. 3 that will guarantee against all racial, religious or nationality discrimination in the displaced persons program. Walter said his bill will raise the number admissible under the present law from 205,000 to 400,000 and will give the refugees four years instead of two to apply for admission.
The measure would also declare a DP eligible for consideration if he entered Germany, Austria or Italy on or after Sept. 1, 1939, and on or before April 21, 1947. The present law sets the date as Dec. 22, 1945, making thousands of East European Jewish refugees ineligible for admission. Walter’s bill would also remove priority listings for agriculture workers and would give preference instead to “farm, household, construction, clothing and garment workers, and other workers needed in the locality in the U.S. in which such persons propose to reside.”
A member of the House Judiciary Committee which handles all displaced persons and immigration legislation, Walter said he believes his bill will eliminate all the discriminatory features in the present law that President Truman has repeatedly objected to. Rep. Emanuel Celler is slated to become chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
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