American military authorities in Austria have been ##clamoring for the transfer of at least 20,000 Jewish infiltrees to the U.S. zone of Germany because Army facilities in Austria are swamped, it was confirmed here today.It was also learned that the U.S. officials in Germany are opposing the request, asserting that the problem in their zone is large and troublesome enough without the addition of several tens of thousands of DP’s.
The pressure in Austria, however, has become even greater since the beginning of the influx of Jews from Rumania. It is understood that the latest appeals have been sent directly to Gen. Lucius D. Clay, commander in the U.S. zone of Germany, and to Washington. It is considered possible that Washington may order a transfer of refugees between the zones such as occurred last year when Polish Jews were flocking into Vienna and its environs.
Headquarters in Vienna has pointed out, in its appeals, that since America treats Austria as a “liberated” country, rather than as an occupation area, many of the installations originally in the hands of the Army have been turned back to the Austrian Government. In addition, the Army pays for its supplies and those of the DP’s in dollars. The lack of space and the shortage of funds available to the command in Austria militate against its ability to cope with the problems of the new arrivals.
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