Evening star., 1945-09-30
u. ). Treatment
of Reich Jews
Likened 10 Nazis
Truman Gets Report,
Orders Eisenhower
To Lounch Cleanup
(Story on Internn,ent OF Nasts on
Page A-4)
BY ]. A. FOX.

IuSc A-fJ
BY ]. A. FOX.
The White House last night
made public the report of a
presidential investigator who
charged American military
treatment of homeless Jews
in Germany and Austria is on
a level with that they received
from the Nazis, except that we
do not exterminate them"
The findings were those of Earl
G. Harrison, dean of the law school
of the University of Pennsylvania
and former commissioner of i'm
migration.
At the direction of President Tru-
man, Mr.. Harrison last June UNDER
took a study of the condition and
needs of stateless or nonrepatriable
persons in the liberated countries
of Western Europe and in the United
States-British controlled area OF
Germany, with particular reference
to Jewish refugees.
Eisenhower Told to Act.
Along with the report of Mr. Har-
rison,S who urged strongly that the
victims of Nazi oppression be given
haven in Palestine, the White
House also made public a COM
munication from the President or
dering Gen. Eisenhower to clean
up the conditions" and report to him
as soon as possible.
Mr.. Truman also directed the
requisitioning of German homes for
the refugees and informed Gen.
Eisenhower that he had asked the
British government to open Palestine
to such persons 'as wish to 60 there.'s
There have been unconfirmed re-
ports here that the President had
suggested the British permit entry
of 100000 Jewish refugees into Pal
estine. The same proposal has been
made by the Jewish Agency of Pal
-estine.
Attlee Reply Awaited.
Charles G.. Ross, White House
press secretary, said the Presidents
letter to the British would be made
public when reply was received
from Prime Minister Attlee.
Mr.. Ross also said Gen Eisen-
hover had advised the President
he was investigating the situation
outlined and would make a report
to him.
In writing Gen. Eisenhower, the
President blamed some of your sub
ordinate officers" for the conditions
barred by Mr.. Harrison.
Unfavorable Comparison Drawn.
Frequently drawing unfavorable
comparisons between the treatment
German civilians are receiving and
that accorded the refugees, Mr..
Harrison summed up as follows:
Generally speaking, three months
after We day and even longer
after the liberation of individual
groups, many Jewish displaced per-
sons and other possibly homeopathic
bles are living under guard behind
barbed wire fences, in camps of
several descriptions (built by the
Germans for slave laborers and
Jews, including some of the most
notorious of the concentration
camps, amidst crowded, frequently
unsanitary and generally grim con-
ditions, in complete idleness. with
no opportunity, except surreptitious-
ly, to communicate with the out
side world, waiting. hoping for some
word of encouragement and action
in their behalf
Their diet, he said, is principally
bread apd coffee, and at Berger
Belsen, "one of the largest and most
vicious of the concentration camps" :"
there have been $4,000 deaths 80
per cent jews since liberation"
UNRRA Operation Urged.
Mr.. Harrison recommended that
the refugee camps be operated by
the United Nations Relief and Re-
Mobilization Administration instead
of the military.
He expressed the view that the
number of Jews in that part of
Germany, not occupied by the Rus
slams, is small, with 100000 the top
figure.
On the overall picture, Mr.. Har-
riSon said, there is every likelihood
that close to 10000 900 displaced per-
sons will be in Germany and Aus
tria when winter sets in," and he
| added, that "the outlook in many
areas so far as shelter, food and
fuel are concerned, is anything but
bright"
4 Million Reallocated.
The occupying armies. he said.
found more than 100000 displaced
persons in Austria and Germany
and he described as phenomenal
performance" the, repatriation OF
more than 1900, 900 of these in less
than three months after We day.
Praise of the highest order is
due all military units with respect
10 this phase OF the poSt-battle job,
he said.
Mr.. Harrison, who is the Amer
ican representative on the Inter-
governme entail Committee on
Refugees, was accompanied to Eu-
rope by DR.. Joseph j. Schwartz, Eu-
ropean director of the American
Joint Distribution Committee, who
he explained. joins in his con-
clusions
He made these specific findings:
l. Marked improvement in the
health of survivors of the Nazi star
vation and persecution program,
but still many malnutrition cases
(See DISPLACED PERSONS, Ala }
| Henry MrIemore