Settlement Of Jewish Refugees

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1938, Page 5

Settlement Of Jewish Refugees

(Received 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, December 14. The problem of Jewish refugees from Germany was debated in the House of Lords to-day, when the Archbishop of Canterbury, speaking on behalf of voluntary organisations, emphasised the importance and urgency of finding a permanent abode, if possible.

The Earl of Plymouth said, with regard to Dr. Schacht’s visit, that he was not in a position to give any information on the subject to be discussed. The result of the Evian Conference had not been negligible. Many refugees, including a number of domestic servants and others engaged in agriculture, had been admitted without affecting England’s labour markets. The Government was prepared to admit as many refugee children as homes could be found for, and already 1000 of these children had been admitted in this way, or were on the way. The Government expected that many thousands of children would finally be admitted to England. British Guiana Regarding the suggestion of establishing a refugee settlement in British Guiana, Lord Plymouth said much of the land was forest land, and therefore unsuitable, but there was a very large area worthy of investigation, with the view to settlement on a considerable scale.

For the present, private funds must bear the cost of activities in connection with the refugees, and the next step must be the examination of settlement schemes by Jewish bodies, for which the Government would be prepared to give every facility. When the cost of such schemes could be estimated. the question of a loan would become a practicable proposition.