NANSEN STAMPS

Evening Post, Issue 77, 31 March 1936, Page 11

NANSEN STAMPS

Judge Hansson,' the new' Norwegian president of the Nansen International Office for Refugees, in an address at Geneva recently made the following temporary proposals for alleviating the lot of refugees: (1) General ratification of the Convention of October 28, 1933, which provides for recognition of the Nansen "passport," a certificate of identity renewable . annually. Only Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, and Italy have ratified the Convention. Some non-participating countries do, however, recognise the "passport." (2) Genuine co-operation among nations with a view to, easing the situation. Presupposing good will in Europe, a solution of the refugee question can be found, (3) Increase of financial resources. In spite of solemn promises made there were still, he pointed out, more than 2Q0.000 stateless Armenian refugees, and more than 1,000,000 in Europe today to whom the right to live is being denied. He expressed the hope that other' Governments will follow the example of Norway and of France in issuing Nansen stamps. A special issue carrying a surcharge of about Id for Nansen Office funds was produced in Norway recently, while France will make a similar issue in the spring.