GERMAN REFUGEES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23866, 21 July 1939, Page 9

GERMAN REFUGEES

PROBLEM OF FINDING HOMES COMMITTEE’S EFFORTS CHANGE OF PRINCIPLE (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, July 19. A communication issued after the meeting of the intergovernmental committee for refugees from Germany states that the director of the committee (Sir Herbert Emerson) made a comprehensive report on the present position of the refugee problem and the work of the committee. Lord Winterton, who presided, informed the committee that in view of the great difficulty found by private organisations -in raising the sums needed for the emigration of refugees, to which the director had referred in his report, the British Government had come to the conclusion that it would be necessary to depart from the principle agreed upon at the Evian meeting that any participating Government would give direct financial assistance to refugees’ subscribers. The Government was examining the manner in which and the extent to which’ private subscribers to the intenational fund to assist in defraying the expenses of the overseas- emigration refugees might be encouraged by Government participation. If other Governments were prepared to agree to this change of principle and cooperate in such participation the British Government would take the initiative in proposing v a scheme for the purpose. The American. French, Brazilian, and San Dominican representatives recalled that this suggestion constituted a departure from the Evian policy, but undertook to refer the matter to their Governments. The meeting adjourned until tomorrow. It is estimated that the number of refugees who left Germany in 1938 was not fewer than 120,000. and may have been as large as 140,000. It is also estimated that there are in European countries, excluding Germany, not fewer than 150,000 refugees who have left Germany, and that approximately 60,000 of these are wholly or partially supported by private organisations. Mr Myron Taylor extended an invitation from President Rooscwelt to the chairman, vice-chairman, and director of the committee to meet in conference at White House at Washington in the first week in September. An announcement on the lines of that of Earl Winterton’s regarding departure from the Evian principle was made in the House of Commons to-day by Mr Chamberlain.