Evening star., 1946-12-03
|Meoder Report Says u. S, Bears
Bulk Of Displaced Persons Cost
By Col. Robert S. Allen
Copyright l946 North American Newspaper Alliance. Inc

ert S. Allen
ienn Newspaper Aiiiones. Inc.
they claimed the camp was not good
enough for them. When Army au-
thorities threatened to send them
back where they had come from
they still refused to get ef. The
Army authorities did not turn the
train around but, instead, took them
to another camp
The problem of finding employ
ment for displaced persons. Mr.
rMeader declares, Is a very difficult
one and no satisfactory solution ap-
pears In sight. One Of the basit
difficulties is the distance OF most
of the centers from areas Of posi-.
BILE employment.
Violent Crimes Are Numerous.
Lack of regular employment. Mr.
Meader asserts, has led to wide
spread black market and other H.
legal activities. He declares thai
crimes of violence by displaced per-
sons are numerous.
This is an aspect OF the DF
problem, Mr.. Meader states,
which has received little publicity
but which has been a source of con-
slant worry to those responsible for
the maintenance of order. Accu-
rate statistics can probably never
be obtained, but summary Of the
Ga section of United States forces,
European theater contains figures
showing that during the first half
of the current year, Ais thefts,
219 homicides and 800 assaults were
committed by DPS.
THE security situation also Is not
eased by the fact that United States
forces are strictly limited in the
extent to which German police may
be used in Jewish and Soviet CEN
ters.
I'm considering the security as
pect of the d. P. question it must
not be overlooked that the Ger
mans must gaze with bewilderment
upon the conditions that the United
States permits to exist, and the
behavior Of the D. P-s themselves
appears to be a strange expression
of gratitude for the treatment and
care they are receiving from this
country
Pressure Blocked Closing Of Camps.
Mr.. Meader declares that the
War Department sought to close
down all displaced persons camps,
except those for Jews, and to treat
the occupants as Germans. That
is, to turn them loose and let the
Germans take care of them. But,
he claims, powerful pressure from
racial and religious groups in the
United States blocked this.
This pressure, Mr.. Meader
says, was sufficient to cause re-
versal of the War Departments
policy on a very high level. Pro-
grams have been initiated to ar
range with South American coun-
tries to accept some of these D. Ps
as immigrants. But little progress
has been made because the South
countries want only the
cream, leaving the least desirable
for us to take care Of"
The displaced persons policy of
the other powers, Mr.. Meader de-
clares, is in striking contrast to
that of the United States. Na
The British zone has some 3oO.-
OO0D. P.s,' Mr.. Meader says. f1nw-
ever, as of July /, the British ceased
to accept D. P.s and, In addition,
they classified Jews according to
their nationality rather than mere
ly, as Jews. The D. p. problem in
the French zone is negligible. They
afe estimated TO have only $4,000
DIPS. 80
ssThe Soviets, have. chosen the
other possible alternative in han-
ding D. P.'s; namely, to ignore
them. When asked for information
on this matter, the Soyiets have
merely replied, We have no dis
placed persons problem and, at a
recent meeting in Geneva, the So
VETS admitted the presence of only
SO d. Ps in their zone.
These policies are very different
from that pursued by the United
States, which is continuing to ac-
cept all persecutees into zone
which already is beset with serious
housing and food shortages, and
thus place an additional burden on
United States occupation author
tiles
"A decision must be reached on
whether the United States desires
to continue indefinitely its largesse
at a cost of over $4,000, 900 per
year and untold administrative and
other problems.