MOUNTING INDIGNATION

Evening Star, Issue 23123, 24 November 1938, Page 13

MOUNTING INDIGNATION

GERMANY'S TREATMENT OF JEWS FEELING RUNNING HIGH IN AMERICA DESIRE TO HELP WITH REFUGEE PROBLEM Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright NEW YORK, November 23. ( As protests against the German treatment of Jews and Catholics continue unabated there appears the first crystallisation of opinion regarding the methods Americans must pursue to rescue refugees. These, however, show the existence of much uncertainty and fumbling in regard to making a start. Labour, ’ civic, religious, and political todies and individuals have reiterated the mounting indignation and arc uniformly commending President Roosevelt’s attitude and urging him to take the lead at an international conference to provide homes for the persecuted. A wireless broadcast headed by leading German American citizens, including the publishers of the chief German language newspapers, called on American people to distinguish between Herr Hitler and the German people, insisting that the German Government does not represent the latter. SCATHING DENOUNCEMENT. Mr H. C. Hoover, speaking at Toronto, scathingly denounced toe (Russian and German Governments He called the German persecution ot Jews most hideous, and warned armed dictatorships who “ proclaim new idealogics of economic security to satisfy personal power. They live by terror .and brutality.” Merchant groups in various cities have closed their establishments for an hour as a protest against German conditions, and movements to raise funds to aid refugees have already been ■begun. Decorators, both employers and employees, in New York, for instance, gave a number of hours ■work, and a well-known merchant in Boston paid for a full-page advertisement in the newspapers calling on I,UWJ individuals to contribute 1,000 dollars each to bring 1,000 Jewish families from Germany. Other unusual proposals included a step taken by a group of Harvard students to create a na-, tional foundation to bring in refugees, enrol them at American universities, and provide sustenance until their studies are completed. < Commonwealth,’ the leading Catho- , ]io publication in the United States, in a leader, urged immediate modification of the immigration laws to permit the entry into the United States of Jewish and Christian refugees ; from Germany.

The New York ‘Daily News,’ in a leader, expresses the hope that a concrete, workable plan for hand!in* the German refugee problem may soon be .the outcome of a woijld-wido discussion on thersubjeet, but declares that the imperative need is taction the part ot statesmen and nations attempting the rescue.-’ “It looks as if nothing but tactful, careful, and polite negotiations with Herr Hitler on the part of the nations interested can save the Gcrman Jewish minority,” It concludes. “ Without German co-operation nothing can be achieved, and Mr Chamberlain erred in mentioning Tanganyika, which only caused further reaction against the Jews in Germany. NAZI GRAB FOR MONEY. The New York ‘ Sun’ calls the Jewish expropriations “ a Nazi -grab for money,” and issues a warning that contributions to funds from other countries to help German Jews will enable the Nazis to levy further on the Jews, and thereafter on Catholics. To what degree Germany can pursue this Course and strengthen by extortion its financial structure is problematical. From various sources, particularly Governments in the Western Hemisphere, the question of easing the position of German refugees already here or making room for others is being agitated. Mr Mackenzie King, in a statement, said Canada would exert every effort to see that no hardships were imposed on Jewish refugees who had gained entry into Canada. The Cuban President, signed a decree ordering Cuban Consuls to grant visas to Jews fleeing from Germany, provided they can comply with the immigration laws of Cuba—namely, financial resources to prevent them from becoming public charges.

AMBASSADOR TO CONFER IV3 13 PRESIDENT

WASHINGTON, November 22. President Roosevelt, before leaving for Warm Springs for a fortnight’s holiday, stated that Mr Hugh Wilson, the Ambassador in Berlin, would confer with him at Warm Springs on Sunday morning with regard to the German situation. The President declined to comment on the report that Mr Joseph Kennedy, Ambassador in London. “ had to be prodded ” to take a more active interest in the refugee question, and said he was without information with regard to the Tanganyika and British Guiana offers. Mr Cordell Hull declined to discuss Mr Chamberlain’s suggestions with reference to Tanganyika and Guiana for the settlement of refugees. He said he wished to study the Prime Minister’s statement more closely and consider it in connection with the work of the Intergovernmental Committee in

London. If a feasible plan could be worked out it could be assumed that arrangements could be made through proper agencies for American (Contributions toward the cost. A NOTE TO GERMANY. WASHINGTON, November 22. The State Department confirmed that it had sent a Note to Germany requesting assurances that the' recent decrees excluding Jews from commercial enterprise in the Reich would not be applied to United States citizens. GERMAN AMBASSADOR’S DEPARTURE OFFICIAL CALL ON MR CORDELL HULL. WASHINGTON, November 23. (Received November 21, at 8 a.m.) The Ambassador. Herr Dieckhoff. called on Mr Cordell Hull to bid farewell before his return to Germany. Observers commented that the meeting lasted only two minutes, simply fulfilling the barest diplomatic requirements.