Evening star., 1938-07-31

Udk1d, for political refugees from
Germany and Austria.
BY JOHN c. HENRY.
IN 1795 President Washington issued a
Thanksgiving proclamation in which
was included an expression Of hope that
the United States might be rendered
more and more safe and propitious
asylum for the unfortunate of other coun-
tries"
In 1901 President Jefferson called upon
Congress to liberalize the naturalization
laws in order that the young Nation might
render to the unhappy fugitives from dis
tress that hospitality which the savages Of
the wilderness extended to our forefathers
arriving in this land"
Presidents Cleveland, Taft and Wilson
took uncompromising stands on maintain
ing the principle Of asylum in America,
each of them vetoing legislation which
would have imposed literacy tests on immi-
grants. And while legislation of this nature
subsequently was passed over the veto of
President Wilson, specific exemption was
included for any aliens who could prove
they were seeking admission to avoid re-
ligious persecution.
immigration legislation passed since the
Wilson administration has maintained this
degree of privilege for immigrants seeking
refuge from persecution, although pro-
visions OF the quota act Of 1924 provide
the ultimatest test by setting arbitrarily
the total number of aliens who may be
admitted to residence here in any one year,
U. S. Called Evian Conference.
1t is against this background of tradition
and of law that the American Government
recently took the initiative in proposing
the international conference at Evian,
France at which has been discussed pos
sibilities Of settling refugee groups from
Germany and Austria in foreign lands.
Convening on July 6, the conference is
in adjournment at the present time with
somewhat Intangible results recorded thus
far. Sessions will resume on Wednesday.
In its initial sittings the conference did
receive pledges of an open door" policy
or some degree of such from several
South and Central American nations,
although each nation would retain the
privilege of limiting the number Of
refugees accepted to whatever normal
quotas they may maintain. Those who are
agricultural workers were promised the
most welcome reception in pledges from
delegates Of Mexico. the Dominican Re-
public, Peru and Colombia, although all
but Mexico made it plain that they would
be forced to restrict immigration of profess
sional men.
Since virtually all Of those fleeing from
the prosecutions of German politics are
Jewish. normally on-agricultural race,
this qualification appreciably limits the
extent of the haven being made available.
This bit of progress, however. does not
signify the end of the international gesture
as the conference delegates are scheduled
to meet on August with view to FORM
to be headed by an American
That America is to play greater part
in this effort than the mere calling of the
initial conference has been plain from
the beginning.
Fourth Of Jews in U. S.
OF the estimted world Jewish population
of about 10000, 900, some 422s.O00 already
live in the United States, 50 heavily con-
centrated in politically and economically
important New York State as to constitute
1871 per cent of that States population.
Naturally, then, 1t was not negligible re-
action Of approval that arose in this coun-
try, or at least In the Northeast, when
Secretary Hull issued his conference invi-
tation and President Roosevelt indorsed it
a scant "a hours later.
AS for the question Of how many of the
refugees could be accepted in this country
without conflict with immigration laws.
allotments under the 1924 quota act open
the way to admission of 27370 per fiscal
year from the combined states of Germany
and Austria.
Now while only Congress possesses the
power to alter this fundamental immigra-
tion law, the President being restricted
within rigid statistical determinations. it
Is interesting to note that several men,
bers of the House suggested such leeisla-
tive action during the past session and
may work up considerable more sentiment
for the idea in the coming Congress.
One such legislative device, for instance.
might be to give the President wider dis
cretionary powers in revising the national
quotas within the total Of l5s,774 fixed In