Refugee Body, Ending 2-day Session, Hears Dominican Republic, Mindanao Can Take 120,000

The Intergovernmental Refugee Committee, concluding its two-day plenary session here, had before it today reports indicating that approximately 120,000 refugees can be settled in the Dominican Republic and the Island of Mindanao, the “pearl of the Philippines.”

The meeting was concluded this morning with a short formal session at which the resignation of Robert T. Pell as vice-director was accepted with regret. In view of the new turn given by yesterday’s British offer for financial participation in settlement of refugees overseas and President Roosevelt’s invitation to the directorate, there was little left for discussion this morning.

A report of the Roosevelt Advisory Committee on Refugees, submitted to the committee by Director Sir Herbert Emerson, said that the Dominican Republic could absorb 29,000 families. It added, however, that experimental settlement was necessary before launching large-scale settlement and the Roosevelt committee recommended, therefore, establishment of a pioneer settlement of 200 families at an early date.

According to the American group’s report, the Philippines appeared to present the best prospects for refugee settlement. The 32 representatives of the intergovernmental body were told that the Island of Mindanao could take 10,000 refugees who were adaptable for agricultural and industrial colonization.

Other reports of refugee settlement prospects were presented by Sir Herbert on British Guiana and Northern Rhodesia, where investigations by commissions of experts have also been completed. Sir Herbert said the British Guiana prospects were almost unlimited but for the time being only 500 persons will be established shortly as an experimental settlement with American help. He declared Northern Rhodesia could absorb at most 500 families over a period of many years and only at a per family cost ranging as high as $5,000 to $7,000.

Sir Herbert also reported that the International Jewish Colonization Society, which was founded last year by the Netherlands banker Daniel Wolf, was investigating the possibilities of Dutch Guiana and New Caledonia, the latter with the active approval of the French Government.

Praising private relief organizations for their “magnificent efforts,” Sir Herbert, who is also League High Commissioner for Refugees, emphasized that their task was becoming impossibly difficult. He estimated that since 1933, the year the Nazi regime took power, American and European charitable groups had spent $50,000,000 in cash for the relief and rehabilitation of refugees. Another $25,000,000, he said, could be added to that figure in private contributions consisting of food, clothing and hospitality.

Sir Herbert said this sum had come from persons of all creeds, but for the most part from Jews. While private charity showed no signs of falling off, Sir Herbert said the liabilities of the private organizations were increasing continuously since tens of thousands of refugees who were only temporarily settled could be maintained only by charity.

In Europe alone, Director Emerson pointed out, there were more than 150,000 refugees, of whom 60,000 were being supported by private organizations. More than 120,000 persons left Germany in 1938, he reported, and an equal number is expected to emigrate before the end of 1939, Sir Herbert estimated that 400,000 refugees still awaited opportunities for permanent settlement.

While yesterday’s opening session of the committee conference was devoted to Sir Herbert’s report, a press conference concentrated on an outline of the aims of the newly organized Coordinating Foundation by Harold Linder, American business man who played an active role in its preparation and establishment. Intergovernmental committee officials informed the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the foundation, which will have a capital of $1,000,000, did not need recognition by the German Government.

Mr. Linder listed the following aims of the foundation: 1) To cooperate with the League of Nations, governments, individuals and organizations working to improve conditions of persons who are subjected to political and racial discrimination in Germany; 2) to endeavor to improve the conditions of the above persons who are unable to emigrate; 3) to ensure orderly emigration of involuntary emigrants from the Reich; 4) to cooperate with individuals and organizations in investigations for settlement; 5) to establish a secretarial, intermediary agency for facilitating the transfer of goods and assets for use by the emigrants but not for resale.