JEWS STILL GUARDED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 259, 1 October 1945, Page 5

JEWS STILL GUARDED

MR TRUMAN COMPLAINS. WASHINGTON, Sept. 30. The Associated Press has been told that many Jewish refugees in Germany and Austria are treated as "the Nazis treated them except that we don't exterminate them." President Truman has ordered General Eisenhower to clean up these conditions as soon as possible. The White House released a long report, describing how displaced persons, particularly Jews, were living under guard in crowded, insanitary camps. Ifc. a letter to General Eisenhower, President Truman enclosed a copy of a report by Mr Earl Harrison, of the inter-Governmental Refugee Committee, enumerating the conditions which, President 'i'ruman said, do not conform to the policies promulgated by Shaef and at present administered by the combined displaced persons' executive.

INSTRUCTIONS IGNORED.

He a<lded: "These pohcies are not being carried out by some or your subordinate omceis. For example, tiie Military Government's omters have been directed to requisition billeting facilities from the German population for displaced persons. -Yev tins lias not been done on any wide scale. Instead, it is apparently assumed tiiut all displaced persons must remain in camps, some ol which were the very ones in which these people weie horded, starved and tortured, and made to witness the deaths of fellow inmates, friends and relatives." , .

President Truman, Jews were kept in concentration camps, quoted this statement in the report: "One is led to wonder whether the German people, seeing this, are not supposing wo are following or at least condoning Nazi policy." •The Harrison report pointed out that refugees lacked clothing, 'whereas the Germans were the best-dressed people in Europe. Refugees were fed on bread and coffee. There were many pathetic malnutrition cases, whereas many Germans enjoyed a more varied and more palatable diet. "The Jews, with few exceptions, are desperately anxious to leave Austria and Germany," the report says. "The majority desire to emigrate to Palestine, others to the United States, England and the British Dominions. Many camp commandants have been disinclined to accept aid from Unrra officers, some of whom are inexperienced, and have'also shown considerable resistance to voluntary agency representatives, no matter how qualified." The report recommended increased immigration facilities to Palestine and the United States.