Paris.
The great need for funds with which to diminish privation and prevent actual starvation among the helpless refugees from the German terror now in France, is described by Edith M. Pye, of the Society of Friends (Quakers), who has been most active in relief assistance work.
“The need for help for refugees in Paris under the German Emergency Committee does not diminish,” she declares in a report to The Friend, organ of the society.
“Whereas in March there were applications from sixteen new cases over and above those who are being dealt with, in April there were twenty-seven, that is from twenty-seven heads of families or single men; but from seventy persons in all, in addition to the 169 who came on the regular consultation days.
SHORTAGE OF FUNDS
“I attended one of the mornings set aside for new cases, and two sittings of the Case Committee. At one there were twenty cases discussed, and the sums needed to help them added up to 4,594 francs. But through shortage of funds, the whole list had to be reconsidered and cut down by nearly half. When this had been done, as was agreed on by the General Committee, there remained but thirty francs for the whole of the rest of the month, unless the French appeal brings in more funds.
“The following were some of the cases dealt with:
“A lawyer, very well known in Germany. Cannot return there for political reasons. He has been working as a butler, his wife a femme de menage. They managed to keep themselves till he broke his arm, which made work impossible. He applied for help and quite broke down at having to ask for it.
PLIGHT OF A TAILOR
“A tailor, with wife and three children, aged 15, 13 and 7 (stateless). Had his carte d’identite and a permission to trade, i.e., sell his goods in the market. Was able to keep whole family till January, 1933, when all his papers were taken away from him, and he was given an expulsion order. He lost his work immediately, was unable to sell as his permit was withdrawn. They hung on till April, when they applied for help, as their gas and electricity had been cut off for non-payment, and they owed a large sum for bread on which they had been living. They are being given food parcels, the two younger children have school feeding through Assistance Medicale, and the gas and electricity bills were paid for them. Application has been made to Hicem—the Jewish organization for emigration of Jews and others—for emigration for the family.
“A Jew, an author, described in publisher’s circular as ‘Berlin’s youngest literary genius.’ Has his name down for emigration, but is literally starving. Has received no help from any Committee.
“A Jew, well-known writer of Yiddish plays. Wife non-Jewish, from Upper Silesia. Both young and hope to go to Palestine. Are living on dry bread and tea.
“An old couple whose three adult children have been sent to Palestine. Part of their rent and food packets given till the children can send back money for their parents, as they promised.
FINDS PROCESS SLOW
“The co-operation with the other committees working for refugees is excellent. All the actual work for emigration is undertaken by Hicem, and they are apparently succeeding in finding a certain number of openings, but the process is very slow, and the deterioration in health of those waiting to go, through privation and anxiety, is very serious.
“Through the help of the Emergency Committee, a restaurant was opened by some German refugees, and an arrangement was made whereby meal tickets can be given and an excellent meal received there for three francs. More use could be made of this if more money were available. The character of the work done in the office. Rue Rataud, seemed to me to be of a very high order. The spirit of all the workers is delightful.
“I spent three days and a night at the farm at Mosset in the Pyrenees, and am able to give an excellent account of its progress in spite of the difficulties continually arising from shortness of personnel.
MORE LAND CULTIVATED
“This year there is more land under cultivation, the fruit-trees given by the Committee have rooted well, and there are three good cows and a heifer in the stables, the former yielding twenty-five litres of milk a day for sale at present.
“There are several families of healthy young rabbits, the hens are laying well, and the two ducks are sitting on their own eggs.
“It would be of immense help if some young Englishmen could go to Mosset to help with the summer work. There is a delightful camping site, and Helmuth N—, who speaks fluent English, and organized all the education of the apprentices in the Builders’ Trade Union in Germany, knows just how to make the best use of all the help offered. There is a great deal that needs to be done in addition to the agricultural work.
“If in Paris there were only thirty francs with which to face the needs of the month, there was not even that sum in London for general relief, after the allocations had been made at the last sitting of the Committee, though a generous gift has been received towards the permanent settlement of the thirty cases who are now awaiting emigration. The same type of need here, the same cutting down of allowances, the same facing of starvation, makes the contact with the refugees themselves simply heartbreaking.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
