JEWISH REFUGEE CHILDREN

Southland Times, Issue 23693, 16 December 1938, Page 5

JEWISH REFUGEE CHILDREN

ENTRY TO PALESTINE STILL LIMITED BRITAIN ANXIOUS ABOUT LONDON TALKS (British Official Wireless) (Received December 15, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, December 14. »• The Secretary for the Colonies (Mr Malcolm MacDonald) was asked in the House of Commons whether he would grant facilities for 10,000 German Jewish children, for whom homes had already been found by the Jewish agency, to enter Palestine. Mr MacDonald said a strong suggestion had been made to the Government from Arab quarters that immigration should be completely .stopped pending the forthcoming discussions in London, but the Government felt unable to agree to the suggestion, because to make any alteration in the existing rate of immigration would prejudice the discussion of one of the main subjects for consideration in London. The Government attached great importance to these discussions. For the same reasons the Government could not agree that authority should be given for the immediate additional immigration of 10,000 of these Jews. This did not necessarily mean that the request was being permanently refused. If it were desirable that these children should leave Germany in the meantime they would be received in Britain under various schemes for the care of Jewish child refugees if the refugee organizations would guarantee their maintenance. Considerable numbers of young refugees from Germany were at present being admitted to Palestine under the existing arrangements.

Mr MacDonald said that a committee was appointed some months ago in British Guiana to consider and advise what steps were practicable to expedite the development of the economic resources of the interior of the colony, and its report was expected, shortly. Any proposals put forward would, of course, have to take into account proposals made about the settlement of refugees. FACILITIES OFFERED In the settlement of refugees, as already announced, Britain was prepared to give facilities to any committee of investigation to go to British Guiana and assist that committee with the service of one of its own experienced officials. The Government was ready to play its part in this work as soon as the necessary plans could be made. The problem of Jewish refugees from Germany was debated in the House of Lords, when the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Cosmo Lang), speaking on behalf of the voluntary organizations, emphasized the importance and urgency of finding a permanent abode if possible. The Earl of Plymouth, for the Government, said he was not in a position to give any information on the subjects to be discussed during the visit to London of the President of the Reichsbank (Dr Hjalmar Schacht). The result oi the Evian Conference had not been negligible, he said. Many refugees, including a number of domestic servants and those engaged in agriculture, had been admitted without affecting Britain’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 Britain.

Referring tc the suggestion for establishing a refugee settlement in British Guiana, Lord Plymouth said much of the land was forest land and, therefore, unsuitable, but a very big area was worthy of examination and investigation with a view to settlement on a considerable scale. For the present private funds must bear the cost of refugee activities, and the next step must be an examination of the 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. NO JEWS: HIGHER PRICES CHRISTMAS PROFITEERING IN VIENNA (Received December 15, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 14. The Vienna correspondent of The Daily Telegraph says that because of the absence of Jewish competition many Christmas prices have increased by 50 per cent. Fresh eggs are unobtainable, butter is scarce, and milk is adulterated. Officials who are investigating prices fined a milliner £9OO for overcharging. More fines are expected.