Weizmann Acts to Secure Transfer of 70,000 Rumanian Jews to Palestine

Dr. Chain Weizmann, president of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, today acted to secure the acceptance by the Allied Nations of an alleged proposal made by the Rumanian Government, expressing willingness to permit the transfer of 70,000 Rumanian Jews from the concentration camps in Transnistria to Palestine or any other place of refuge selected by the Allies.

The offer is reported to have reached the United Nations through neutral channels. It provides that a sum of approximately $200 must be paid to the Rumanian treasury for each of the 70,000 Jews permitted to leave the country. This sum is to cover the “traveling expenses” of the refugees. The released Jews would, under the Rumanian proposal, be transported on Rumanian ships displaying the insignia of the Vatican to indicate that the vessels were on a non-belligerent mission. The transfer would be effected under the supervision of the Papal Nuncio and the Bishop of Bucharest.

The report of this proposal, though not confirmed in official circles in Washington, has provoked a flurry of activity among Zionist leaders now in the capital. Zionist spokesmen here pointed out that the plan, if accepted, would not only save the lives of 70,000 Jews, but would help to relieve the manpower shortage in Palestine. They brushed aside the suggestion that the Nazis could plant spies among the 70,000 emigres and pointed to the fact that among the 45,000 Jews who have entered Palestine since the beginning of the war, not one spy has been found, since the Jewish Agency assumed full responsibility for safeguarding against spies getting into the country in the guise of refugees.

WASHINGTON OFFICIALS SKEPTICAL; SAY PLAN NEEDS-NAZI APPROVAL

Officials in Washington viewed the report of the Rumanian proposal with skepticism. They pointed out that similar reports have not been confirmed in the past. They also emphasized that the proposed use of Rumanian ships would require the approval of the Nazi military command and that the Nazis badly need all the shipping they have in the Black Sea. They added that Nazi propaganda to the Arabs frequently reported that large numbers of Jews are about to enter Palestine.

Zionist leaders here, on the other hand, predicted that no difficulties would arise from Arab opposition now that it no longer can be financed by the Axis. (In London it was stated that the United Nations had taken no decision on the reported Rumanian proposal because it would be risky to stir up trouble throughout the Moslem world and also because the shipping difficulties would be tremendous if a more distant haven than Palestine were chosen.)

The Rumanian proposal is interpreted by well-informed circles here as an indication that Rumania expects the Russian Army to capture Transnistria which is situated between the Bug and the Dniester rivers. About 250,000 Rumanian Jews were deported to Transnistria soon after the Nazi occupation of the territory, which was placed under Rumanian administration. Apparently no more than 70,000 of the victims remain alive, and the Rumanian authorities would consider it a good bargain if they could secure $14,000,000 for the release of the exiled Jews before the latter are released by the Russian Army.