State Department Defends U.S. Consular Action Stopping Issuance of Visas to Dp’s

The State Department today issued a statement declaring that “criticism levelled at American consular officers for the delay in the beginning of the DP program is entirely unwarranted and unjust.” However, the statement did not deny the fact that no U.S. visas are being granted to displaced persons in Europe at present and that the movement of DP’s to the United States has stopped for the time being.

Replying to charges that the U.S. requires displaced persons to apply at American consulates for visas, which the DP’s cannot afford to do because it involves expensive and tine consuming travel, the State Department said: “Making visas available at the DP camps themselves — and not requiring DP’s to travel to an American consulate for them — presents certain legal and administrative difficulties which are being given careful consideration.”