Congressional leaders advocating the establishment of “free ports” in the United States as temporary havens of refuge for Jews from Nazi Europe today interpreted President Roosevelt’s statement yesterday on the subject as notice to the world that the United States would do its part in setting up temporary places of residence for refugees and would expect other countries to do likewise.
President Roosevelt told his press conference that he was working on the subject of “free ports,” but added that he did not like that name. He did not wish to limit the idea to areas in the United States, he said, emphasizing that there were any places in the world where refugees might find temporary shelter.
The President’s rejection of the term “free ports” was seen as an attempt to eliminate a possible source of misunderstanding and subsequent controversy. It is feared that the word “free” would sound to the uninformed as though all checks were to be abandoned. Suggested to replace the discarded term were such names as “safety port” or “refugee port.”
Senator Guy Gillette (Iowa Dem.) who Monday introduced a bill urging that Jews and other victims of Nazi hatred be admitted for temporary detention and care, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he was pleased “that the President has expressed himself as being in full accord with the purpose of the resolution.” He said that he would ask the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to consider his resolution at the earliest possible moment. Introduction of a similar resolution in the House is expected later this week.
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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.
