The 32-power refugee-aid conference convened by the United States will come to an end on Friday, it was announced today by Chairman Myron C. Taylor, American delegate. The conference opened July 6.
Following a public session this morning, further meetings will be in camera with discussion of the proposed permanent inter-governmental bureau and other definite plans the chief order of business.
At this morning’s session five more Latin American nations were placed on record as prepared to cooperate in refugee-aid plans and to join in inter-governmental apparatus to admit refugees proportionately with other countries. As with eight other Latin American governments which pledged cooperation on Saturday, the five specified their doors were closed to tradesmen and intellectuals. They are Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama and Paraguay. Paraguay added it was prepared to admit a large number of land workers.
The Swedish delegate announced that his country was willing to admit a number of selected emigrants, provided they could adapt themselves to the Sweden’s interests. He said Sweden would contribute to the expenses of the intergovernmental bureau and would like it eventually to consider the Jewish problem in eastern Europe. the Swiss representative declared Switzerland had shown goodwill toward refugees as a country of transit, adding that after Anschluss 4,000 Austrians had come to Switzerland.
Indirect but apparently authentic information was received from Berlin by the conference to the effect that the German Government is willing to permit Jews to take ten per cent of their capital with them when emigrating provided the conference maps out a plan for emigration of German Jewry within five years. The money ostensibly would be taken out of Germany under the terms of a transfer agreement between the Reich and the various countries of destination.
A Jewish delegation which arrived here from Germany yesterday submitted a memorandum to a conference sub-committee pointing out that of 500,000 Austrian and German Jews, 200,000 were of an age useful as emigrants. The memorandum suggests that provisions be made for emigration of the 200,000 within six years and that an emigrant bank be created for the clearing of Jewish capital that can be taken out of Germany. The British and American delegations were scheduled to discuss the memorandum today with Otto Hirsch, German-Jewish leader, and three other members of the delegation.
Most of the delegations representing the 32 governments at the conference were optimistic about its outcome. they make the reservation, however, that a prominent American must head the proposed intergovernmental bureau which is to be set up as a permanent body to handle the refugee problem. Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of State in President Hoover’s administration, is among the names most frequently mentioned in this connection.
If the bureau is established, as seems likely, it will probably have its headquarters in London rather than in Paris, which was originally favored. Sentiment for London was spurred by the suggestion offered Saturday by Sir Neill Malcolm, League High Commissioner for Refugees from Germany, that the bureau would be useful in negotiations with Germany and in seeking an international loan. The bureau would work in closest cooperation with sir Neil’s office.
At a press conference called by the delegation from the Jewish Agency for Palestine, speakers criticized lord Winterton, chairman of the British delegation for not mentioning Palestine, and outlined the possibilities of immigration to that country. Speakers included Dr. Arthur Ruppin, colonization expert, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, the Agency’s Geneva representative, and Goldie Myerson, Palestine labor leader.
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.
