Evening star., 1939-09-24
War Throws Burden
OF German Refugees
On U. 5. Chiefly
Britain and Fronce
Have Other Interests,
German Attitude Shifts
~ the Associated Press.

German Attitude Shifts
~ the Associated Press.
War has wrought fundamental
change In the vast work initiated by
President Roosevelt and Secretary
of State Hull for assistance to Ger
man political refugees
Britain and France, UP to now
among the most helpful in further
ing the Roosevelt-H Hull program, can
be counted on to give very little
additional aid. Their energies are
all devoted to prosecution of the
war.
Their principal efforts will be di-
rected to moving out of their coun-
tries the tens of thousands of Ger
man Jews who have settled there
temporarily while awaiting perma-
nent placing. These Jews are in
guarded camps and may not mingle
with the general population. For
many their situation is an improve
ment of what it was in Germany,
but it is none of the best. At this
time Of national emergency they
are not wanted. They are burden.
Germany Changes, Too.
War has brought a change in
Germany's attitude toward the refu-
gees, too. Hitherto she was content
to let the young people emigrate,
try to find jobs abroad and then
send for their older relatives. Now
she wants the young people, both
men and women, for war work, but
wishes to send cut the old people
and children.
Moreover. even the very small
amount of foreign currency she was
willing to let the Jews take with
them in their exodus will now be cut
off, since Germany needs all her
foreign credits for purchase of raw
materials. Besides, German steam
ship lines are no longer running,
and tickets which were bought in
marks will now have to be pur-
chased in other currency.
Some officials believe the perse-
cution of the Jews in Germany may,
however, be somewhat alleviated by
the war. The Nazis may relax their
restrictions against portion of their
population on whom they will de-
pend for help in pursuing the con-
f1ict. There are 100000 Jews left in
Germany.
Polish Jews Big Problem.
But another refugee problem,
perhaps greater than that in Ger
many, is looming. Germany will
absorb portion of Poland contain
Ing a large percentage of the $780,
900 Polish Jews. What will be their
fate? Will they, too, be thrown on
the world? The organization set up
through the Roosevelt-Hul initia-
tive shudders to think of the task
that may still confront it.
Reports are now in from all the
Investigations of possible places for
mass Jewish emigration-British
Guiana, Philippine Islands, Domini-
can Republic and Rhodesia-and
there is very small comfort in them.
A good many thousands can be sent
to these places. particularly to the
Philippines, but the cost of estab-
fishing colonies would be terrific. 1t
may be four to five times the cost of
placing Jews in countries already
settled And there is no guarantee
that the colonies will be successful,
even that the Jewish settlers will
not sicken and die in unaccustomed
climates.
Willing Havens Diminish.
Some officials feel the conclusion
Is inevitable that the only real solu-
ton for the Jews is infiltration into
countries where the means of life
and livelihood exist and function.
But the countries willing to take
them are now diminishing in num-
ber. The British dominions. chiefly
Australia, which were taking thou
sands of refugees, may be forced to
close their doors for the time being.
Even the United States, principal
haven of the German Jews, has had
to interrupt the work of receiving
them in order to evacuate Ameri-
cans from Europe and get them
safely back home
Next month President Roosevelt
will preside over meeting of the
executive officers of the Inter Gov
ernmental Committee on Refugees.
Regardless Of the war, the meeting
will take place October 1917, and
officials are coming from abroad to
attend it, including Lord Winter
ton, chairman of the committee.
Oficials here desire the work to go
on and the committee to continue
to function, despite the war, in an
effort to keep the initiative alive.