World Jewish Congress Lauds Roosevelt’s Establishment of War Refugee Board

The World Jewish Congress today hailed the establishment by President Roosevelt of a War Refugee Board "as a historic act of courage and statesmanship which marks a turning point in the attitude of Western democracies to the problems created by Hitler’s extermination policy."

The statement of the Congress, issued by Dr. Stephen S. Wise, chairman of its executive committee, expressed deep satisfaction with the President’s order "which recognizes that the democracies have an inescapable moral obligation to discharge in the work of rescue, and that action must be taken without delay."

The statement emphasized that leaders of the Congress have been in constant consultation on rescue work with the appropriate officials of the Government departments whose heads will now compose the War Refugee Board. It promises "wholehearted cooperation" with the Board.