Immediate admission into Palestine of at least 100,000 displaced Jews from Europe and the placing of the whole question of Palestion’s future in the hands of the United Nations organization were urged today by former secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr., in an address before 1,300 people at the Hotel Astor, where he was tendered a dinner by B’nai B’rith in recognition of his services to humanity and the war effort.
“There is only one solution for the homeless, stateless Jews – the immediate admission of at least 100,000 to Palestine, for Palestine is the one refuge where they could be assured of achieving at once the status of welcome and respected citizens,” the former member of the President’s War Refugee Board asserted.
This solution, Mr. Morgenthau said, “is the one ardently desired by a great many of the displaced Jews themselves, as all competent observers have noted.” He recalled that Earl Harrison, in his report to President Truman, had said that “for some European Jews there is no acceptable or decent solution for their future other than Palestine.” Mr. Morgenthau also noted that Harvey Gibson of the American Red Cross, she made a tour of the displaced persons camps at General Eisenhower’s invitation, said that ninety-five percent of the Jewish refugees in Europe want to emigrate to Palestine.
Hailing President Truman’s request to Great Britain’s Prime Minister Clement Attlee for the admission of 100,000 Jews to Palestine as “a thoroughly statesmanlike and a thoroughly humanitarian appeal,” Mr. Morganthau expressed the hope that the President “will renow his request during Mr. Attlee’s visit to this country.”
“The 100,000 whose need is most urgent and who have expressed a desire to emigrate should be admitted without delay,” Mr. Morgenthau said. “But the problem of the displaced Jew is not the sole concern of any single nation nor of any small group of nations. It is the responsibility of all the peoples who fought Fascism and was a new opportunity for democracy. Therefore, the whole question of the future of Palestine should be placed under the auspices of the United Nations Organization. This was the kind of procedure most people had in mind when they acclaimed the results of the San Francisco Conference as a long step toward peace.”
On behalf of the 250,000 members of B’nai B’rith, Henry Monsky, president, presented to Mr. Morgenthau a specially cast gold medallion in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the war effort and to refugee relief. One side of the medaltion was inscribed in Hebrew: “Lover of Israel”. The other side was inscribed: “Presented to Hon. Henry Morgenthau, Jr. by B’ nai B’rith for his services to humanity.” Other speakers who joined in paying tribute to Mr. Morgenthau were Attorney General Tom Clark; Postmaster General Robert Hannegan; Senator Robert F. Wagner of New York and Senator Charles W. Tobey of New Hampshire.
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.
