British Leaders Want Effective Action from Anglo-american Conference on Refugees

Pointing out that the British Government must remember that there is no such thing as “preliminary extermination,” the Manchester Guardian, leading British newspaper, today published a demand that the forthcoming British-American conference on saving Jews and others from Nazi extermination should not restrict its activities to “preliminary exploration” only, as stipulated in the note sent by the U.S. Secretary of State to the British Government in which the conference was suggested.

The paper refers to a cable signed by British parliamentarians of all parties, by Lord Mayors, labor leaders, scientists, educators and religious leaders including the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York – sent yesterday to Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden in Washington, calling for “immediate and bold measures” to rescue Jews from Nazi extermination. It emphasizes that the British-American conference “must act with extreme urgency.”

“Opinion on this problem, both throughout the country and among members of Parliament, is far ahead of that held by the Government,” the Manchester Guardian writes. “If the refugees were British or Americans we would regard the difficulties as something which must be overcome. It is that spirit that we need, and the Government ought to apply, in admitting refugees and in taking them out through Russia, the Balkans and Turkey to Palestine.”

The cable sent yesterday to Mr. Eden was a result of a conference which members of parliament representing all three parties held in the House of Commons for the purpose of pressing the British Government for more effective action to save the European Jews. The cable read: “With reference to the forthcoming Anglo-American conference on the massacres of Jews and others by the Nazis, we assure you of the fullest support of public opinion in this country for treating the problem as one of extreme urgency calling for immediate and bold measures of rescue. The British conscience is so deeply stirred that the country is prepared for any sacrifice consistent with not delaying victory. We hope that the great opportunity afforded by your visit may be used for the speedy achievement of definite results.”