Only 25,000 Refugees Will Be Aided Under Proposals by Bermuda Conference; Few Jews

No more than 25,000 refugees in Europe and an additional few thousand in Iran and other havens outside Europe are expected to be assisted by the measures which will be recommended by the Anglo-American refugee parley now meeting here, it was reported today.

The only Jews who will be immediately aided, it is indicated, are the 4,500 in Bulgaria and some in Rumania, whose transfer to Palestine had previously been arranged. As far as removing those refugees now in Spain, it is expected that the conferees will establish the order of evacuation as follows: first, 15,000 Frenchmen; then a few thousand Czechs and Poles; and, lastly, 5,000 persons of miscellaneous nationalities, mostly Jews.

The British and American conferees are now working on the joint report which they will submit to their respective governments, if they can iron out their differences. Otherwise, it is believed, there is a possibility that the two delegations will issue separate reports. The main point of difference seems to be the question of revitalizing the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees. The British have finally agreed to give up their idea of creating a new body to replace the Intergovernmental Committee, but they insist that the latter body, if allowed to remain in existence, must be reorganized with greater participation by the United States and with America assuming greater responsibility for solving the refugee problem as a whole.

The British delegation is also understood to be continuing to press for adoption of its suggestion that refugee transit camps be established in North Africa to where thousands of refugees could be evacuated and housed until permanent havens were found for them. These camps would be erected and administered by the British, under the plan proposed, with America footing the maintenance costs. The American delegation, however, is believed to be adamant in its rejection of this plan for military reasons.

There is apparent unanimity, however, as regards the following decisions:

1. There shall be no negotiations with Hitler, directly or indirectly. Therefore, there is no possibility of aiding the “potential refugees” still in Nazi-held territory.

2. As much assistance as permitted by the exigencies of war shall be extended. to refugees now in neutral countries.

3. The ultimate solution of the refugee problem lies in a victory of the Allies, and measures of refugee aid must not be allowed to delay prosecution of the war.