The American Jewish community was highly praised for its work in settling Jewish refugees from Europe in this country in a report by Walter Bieringer, president of United Service for New Americans, presented at the two-day annual meeting of the organization which concluded here today. More than 400 Jewish communal leaders attended the parley at which Mr. Bieringer was re-elected president.
Mr. Bieringer lauded the recently announced proposals to merge United Service for New Americans and the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society into a single international Jewish migration agency. “This merger is long overdue,” he said.” The entire nation is applauding it. By eliminating wasteful duplications of effort and consolidating the valuable experience of the several agencies, this new world wide organization will benefit both the clients and the Jewish communities every where.”
In commenting on the future task of the unified Jewish migration agency, Mr. Bieringer declared that the term “emergency” as applied to a migration program was no longer valid. “The world tensions which produced our present ’emergency.’ that they will continue for an indefinite length of time,” he said.
Expressing doubt that the Refugee Relief Act of 1953, enacted last year to admit 209,000 non-quota immigrants to this country, would accomplish purpose, Mr. Bieringer predicted that the law’s “self-defeating provisions will make a mockery of President Eisenhower’s high purpose in requesting the law.” He predicted that the McCarran-Walter Immigration Law would be amended after a long and bitter fight in which “our major weapon will be education.”
Arthur Greenleigh, executive director of United Service, speaking at the Sunday luncheon, summarized the present Jewish refugee situation in Europe and pointed out other trouble spots in the world from which Jews may be forced to emigrate, and discussed the role of governments and voluntary Jewish immigration agencies in solving Jewish refugee and migration problems.
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