United Hias Reports Rise of Jewish Migration to Lands Outside of Israel

The number of migrants helped by the United Hias Service to proceed to lands outside of Israel for permanent settlement in the first nine months of this year was almost 75 percent higher than anticipated, Murray I. Gurfein, president of United Hias, told the 32nd annual convention of the Council of Organizations held here today. The convention was attended by more than 1,000 delegates representing fraternal, labor and religious organizations supporting the work of the worldwide migration agency.

Stressing the possibility that the agency’s migration assistance program would soar even higher by the end of the year, Mr. Gurfein stated: “In round numbers, this means that our program of resettlement for 1961 will aid more than 7,000 refugees and migrants, instead of 4,000, as we expected at the beginning of the year.”

James P. Rice, executive director of United Hias Service, who recently returned from the agency’s world migration conference in Paris, reported on his meetings with officials of various countries and representatives of intergovernmental migration organizations on current problems and needs of Jewish migrants. “All signs point to the fact that the migration pressures so evident in 1961 will increase during the coming year.” he declared.

Major revisions of the Immigration and Nationality Law of the United States, “in accordance with the expressed opinion of both major parties” was urged in a resolution adopted at the convention. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. Mayor Robert F. Wagner was awarded a scroll of honor by the Council of Organizations at the convention.