A special emergency program to bring swift rescue through emigration to Greek Jews has been inaugurated by United HIAS Service, the Jewish international migration agency, it was announced today by Ben Touster, president of the organization.
Under special provisions of the Refugee Relief Act of 1953, Mr. Touster said, special priority is granted to victims of natural disasters, and by the terms of these provisions the survivors in the earthquake area in Greece may qualify specifically for entrance to the United States as speedily as they can be processed and documented by the United HIAS aides who are working feverishly now to speed their immigration to our country.
Special attention is being paid to the 400 Jews of Volos who recently suffered the full force of the earthquake, which practically leveled the town, leaving thousands homeless, Mr. Touster reported. The United HIAS office in Athens has petitioned the U.S. Consul to grant priority to the applications of 100 Volos Jews who had registered with the agency for immigration to the U.S. under the Refugee Relief Act before the disaster, and whose visas have been held up in the processing pipeline for several months.
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