Refugees Termed Real “have-nots”

With the Polish-Jewish deportations from Germany as its theme, the New York times said in an editorial today that the refugees were the real “have nots” of the world “whose claim to colonies should receive the first consideration in the current calculations of colonial powers.” the editorial said in part:

“That we live at a time when cruelty is legislated and glorified into policy is no justification for callousness on the part of Governments and peoples whose policy is to save what they can of the precious increment of centuries of civilization. That we live in a world haunted by refugees, where religion or race or opinion is excuse enough for one country to throw masses of harmless citizens on the doorsteps of other countries, makes it incumbent on the civilized, for their own salvation if for no higher reason, to meet this challenge of barbarism. increasing deportations, on one pretext or another, raise a question more urgent and fundamental than the question of colonies. surely the refugees, outcast citizens of countries which they have enriched and defended, are the have-nots whose claim to colonies should receive the first consideration in the current calculations of colonial powers.”