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New Plea on Refugee Children Rejected in Commons

December 22, 1938
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Colonial Secretary Malcolm MacDonald today rejected a plea be Laborite Tom Williams to reconsider the decision not to admit 10,000 German-Jewish refugee children to Palestine.

Replying to a suggestion by Mr. Williams that at least a smaller number be admitted, Mr. MacDonald declared the possibility had been considered but it had been decided that such a move would prejudice the forthcoming Palestine negotiations, A consideration that had mot- ivated the original decision. The Colonial Secretary reiterated that the decision had not excluded the children permanently but merely postponed the question until after the conference.

Mr. MacDonald revealed that he had discussed the question with a number of Jewish leaders, adding: “I have stated on behalf of the government that Palestine cannot provide a solution of the whole refugee problem in Europe.”

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