The Wilmington morning star., 1946-08-02
Fair Enough
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

By WESTBROOK PEGLER
NEW YORK, August, 1. - A point that
seldom is mentioned, much less considered
seriously, in discussions of American hospitali-
ty to refugees is the fact that they have no
right to come here. The American people re-
serve the right to admit or exclude and to
deny asylum to anyone for any reason by
adopting laws to such effect. While it is true
that our laws do lay down conditions which
the Supreme Court has construed as American
rights Of aliens In foreign lands, the fact re-
mains that Congress may revoke these condi-
tons and even forbid ali immigration.
Thus, it is a privilege to come to the United
States aud I point out that our generosity was
the greater in admitting $50, 900 refugees from
Hitler up to Nov. rs, 1913, when the fact is
remembered that during most Of these years,
the national government had been rationing
employment among our cWn people by means
Of overtime pay schedules. 1t is true, as
Breckenridge Long, our assistant secretary Of
state, told the House Commute on Foreign
Affairs In November, 1943, that the presidents
committee on refugees was very partial to
authors, painters, orators, statesmen, political
leaders and publishers, who were unlikely to
engage in common toll iE competition with
our natives.
But We were very well fixed for these cate
gories at that time and, considering that these
preferred types naturally would try to impose
their European ideas on their hosts, the favor
tism hardly vindicates itself. An oppressed
carpenter or machinist or a good, thrifty farm
er, coming along at that time when Paul
McNutt told us we were short Of good work
men, might have been more desirable and
helpful to the United States.
Anyway, a soap-box exhorter would suffer
no more from Hitler's persecution than a plow-
man so, if the motives here were purely and
solely humane, the priority remains to be
justified. To be practical, Of course, it must
be recognized that here we had selection by
pull and influence with prominent, conspicu-
Gus or notorious individuals escaping while
the obscure were left behind. The power Of
money exerted in the United States by wealthy
relatives or in an American consulate abroad,
where the clerks were human and not over
paid, deserves to be considered and may be
explored some day.
At any rate, Mr.. Long not merely admitted
but declared that 1.-THE committee was trying
to save particular persons who were worthy
to be saved in the cause of humanity" but
mentioned these classes OF worthless. And the
was strangely silent and slow-Wit-
ted in the absence Of any challenge. to this
brutal distinction. He left an impression that
the humble were less worthy to be saved in
eS SOA0S " 100000 o1Ao a l Gldl
some were rescued out of turn merely be-
cause friends here thought they were more
precious than others when they may have
been only obstreperous and important con-
%tributors to the distress of all. At a time when
the American government and the very State
Department for which Mr.. Long spoke, pro-
fessed to be diligent in exporting American
principles and political ideals to other lands,
they were running an important trade in
EllrODean thOuGhf and no1itico1 methods yubiob
have made an impression here as effective as
our impression on the minds of the Germans
and Italians.
There occurs in the text of Mr.. Longs
statement, so long suppressed and FOR no evil
dent reason except to conceal facts from the
American people, Information regarding
SPANS Hospitality to refugees which would
have been helpful in opposing the communist
agitation in favor Of another Spanish civil
war.
Mr.. Long said that about 60, 900 refugees
crossed the Pyrenees from France into Spain.
Our government worked tc move them along
to Africa and elsewhere ano relieve the burden
on the Franco government, but Mr.. Long re-
vealed that Franco had been very helpful.
'The ieea Of getting them out of SPAIN"
he said, was that Spain is not a rich coun-
try. Spain could not afford to keep these peo-
pie particularly because of its difficulty in
feeding its own people in time of war anr.
the limitations imposed b. the transportation
of food supplies. But if you could aid people
in getting into Spain, Spain would not stop
them on her side from coming in. We are
ready to take all new refugees who came out
of France or other occupied territory. Spain
will assist them. Spain did not stop. Right
after the German occupation of unoccupied
France when so many people started across
the border, the Spanish government sent IN
its armies and said 'stop''
The Americans implored Spain not to stop
them, promising that we would try to get
them out and Spain Withdrew her armies after
three days and the exodus resumed.
nations but neither did Russia and tho,,gh
| Russia did accommodate rs