Evening star., 1945-11-18
By JOSEPH H. BAIRD.


oyerrun by the Wehrmacht in the
days Of its glory Adolf Hitler
syphoned some 6,50000O slave labor
ers into what is now the Anglo
American French zone Of occupation
to keep the wheels of the Reich's
war industry turning.
The repatriation of these human
wrecks has been one of the main
tasks Of the Allied armies and OF
UNRRA. Today some 100000 OF
them remain in the Reich.
Never before in history, perhaps
has there been a mass migration
equal either in scope or misery to
the homeward trek of thousands OF
Belgians, Dutch, Poles
Yugoslavs, Balts, Italians
and Hungarians since Germany's s
defeat last spring. 1t has been-and
to be-UNRRA's role to
smooth their path so far as is
possible.
Western Europeans Home.
Told statistically, the story Of the
slave" workers is this:
Virtually all Western Europeans
have now gone from Germany tc
their homes, or what remains OF
their homes: 100000 French. 270,-
900 Dutch and almost 100000 Bel
gians and Luxembourgers. Also
repatriated have been more thar
2,000,0 900 Russians, $4,000 Czechs
$4,000 Yugoslavs and 525,00l
Italians.
Before UNRRA remains the task
of repatriating the, $780, 900 slaves
still in Germany. The largest ol
this group are 1875 900 Poles. Other
sizable sections include 10000 Rus.
slams, 10000 Hungarians and 10000
Jews. Meanwhile, they are being
cared for in UNRRA camps.
Some Of these people will never
go home. They, about 250000 OF
them, compose what UNRRA calls
the hard core" OF the repatriation
problem.
Why? A segment of the "hare
core is composed Of Russian.
and Poles who served willingly
or not - in the German armies
or are known to be unsympathetit
with Communism and fear reprisal!
If they return home. Some ar.
Balts who refuse to live under Rec
rule. The 10000 Jews and stateles.
persons are problem within them.
selves.
In Hands of Council.
The future OF these people is ii
the hands of the Internationa
Council on Refugees which will NEE
in Paris this month. Meanwhile
UNRRA has refused to compel then
to return home. At the recent
UNRRA Council meeting in London
Russia and Poland insisted thai
their food be cut OF. Director Gen.
eral Herbert H. Lehman fought tn,
proposal--and won. They will b.
cared for until they make the home.
ward journey willingly or until som,
haven Is found for them.
Or the story of UNRRA's part ir
repatriation can be told in term.
Of human misery.
Following is an excerpt from al
official report of an American rep.
reSentative in an Eastern European
country:
I'VE limited our visit at - tt
1f
repatriates who had just arrivee
from the East. The train was about
hall open cars and about hal
boxcars. People were crowded ir
at the rate of SO per car. The,
had been on the way for two weeks
having been parked for days at &
time in stations along the way
waiting for an engine.
"The women and children were al
barefooted, and bundled up in al
kinds of old clothes to keep warm
1t was raining, and there was nj
protection from the weather in tn,
open cars. Feet and hands wer,
cruSted with dirt . - There was n,
PiONAclOil lOI 1OOQ VI care Oh an
kind except emergency medical care
Two children died from exposure OF
the trip"
Guided Into Camps.
BY contrast, here is a picture O
the treatment of displaced person
in camps operated by UNRRA il
the Anglo o-American- French zon,
In Western Germany:
The homeless persons are guide,
into the camps by so-called teams
Of UNRRA workers, which include
doctor, nurse and an administrato
In addition to other personnel
Some $50 Of these teams" includin,
about 5000 persons, have beef
operating in Western Germany.
On arrival at the camps, the for
mer slaves" are given q bath, 4,
treatment with DDT to rid then
Of vermin, are equipped with fresi
clothes and shoes and are put on F.,
diet OF about $500 calories daily.
Food is furnished by the Amer
lean and British armies, which hav