Our Daily News Letter

(By Our Geneva Correspondent)

The issuance in the near future through the League of Nations of the “Nansen Refugee Stamp,” designed especially for Russian and Armenian refugees, said to number 1,000,000, but which may perhaps serve as a basis for a similar procedure in connection with other refugees, including the Jewish refugees now stranded in various parts of the world, has just been announced here in the July 12 issue of “Industrial and Labor Infromation,” organ of the League’s International Labor Office.

The purpose of the “Nansen Refugee Stamp” is to help solve the problems of migration and unemployment and to improve the present system of refugee identity certificates. It is planned to create a Revolving Fund of not less than £ 100,000 in order to facilitate the conduct of this work.

“The Swiss Federal Stamp Office, in Berne”, we read, “is at present considering designs for a stamp, which will probably be known as the ‘Nansen’ stamp, for use in connection with the scheme for the levying of a special annual fee on identity certificates or identity cards issued to Russian and Armenian refugees, adopted by the Inter-Governmental Conference held in Geneva in May last.

“It is proposed that the stamp should bear the effigy of Dr. Nansen, High Commissioner for Refugees, together with indication that it is issued in pursuance of a resolution of the Conference of May 12, 1926, by the High Commission for Refugees of the League of Nations, in conjunction with the Refugee Service of the International Labor Office. The stamp, which will be of one denomination only-5 gold francs-will probably be issued separately in English and in French.

“Definite regulations for the issue of the ‘Nansen’ stamps have not yet been drawn up; but in principle the stamp issue will be in the hands of the High Commissioner, who will probably seek the cooperation of the organization of the Refugees Service of the International Labor Office for the distribution of the stamps in the countries which adopt the arrangements of May 12.

“In practice, the arrangement will probably work out in this way: Governments will notify their readiness to take a certain quantity of stamps and will render a quarterly or half-yearly account to the High Commissioner for the sales effected. It is also possible that, in countries where the Refugee Service has delegates, the Government authorities will invite their cooperation in an advisory capacity for establishing the initial machinery governing the issue of the stamps.”

Among the well-known Egyptians recently insured by the Cairo office of the Judea. Insurance Co of Jerusalem, is the banker and Jewish communal leader, Baron Felix de Menasce. The largest percentage of policy holders of the Judea Insurance Company in Egypt, are Egyptian Christians or Moslems, it was stated.