(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The government bill declaring the restrictions on immigration to the United Kingdom permanent, was passed by the House of Lords on the third reading of the bill.
The amendment introduced by Lord Reading which calls for keeping the gates of the United Kingdom open to religious and political refugees, was rejected by a majority of 46 agaust 19. Bishop Southworth defended Lord Reading’s amendment. The bill will now be taken into the House of Commons, where a bitter fight is expected.
During a discussion of Lord Reading’s amendment, the government spokesman, Lord Desborough, stated that under the present conditions of unemployment the government cannot admit persons who are religiously persecuted. The government would admit one or two distinguished Armenians, but not thousands. Nor would it admit thousands of Russian Christians who are being persecuted. “The Russian Jews are most estimable people and we have tried our best for them in Palestine. However, they might prefer this country, with its free education, hospitals and a dole system for unemployed, to Palestine, where they are already meeting difficulties,” he stated.
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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.
