Evening star., 1949-05-22
Reich Needs
.WPA to Aid
Its Refugees
Political Nj c n a c c
Seen in Homeless,
Jobless Throng
By Brock Curry ..

FRANKFURT. Germany. - A
German wPA may be the answer
to Western Germany's most seri-
sas social and political problem
This problem Is what 70 do with
10000 900 refugees herded into
Western Germany from Com
muniSt dominated Eastern Europe
Most OF them have no homes,
no possessions and no hope. Sew
eral million are jooless. Thou
sands more are coming from the
Soviet occupation rome each
month.
American and German officials
say these restive refugees are po-
litically dangerous. They offer q
ripe field for q Hitler-type dema-
gogue to harvest.
Political Menace
One high American military
government official said
The rise OF natlonaliSm IN
Western Germany Is somewhat
due TO these refugees. They have
been expelled from Eastern Eu-
rope. so they hate the Commu-
nists. But they tend to swing
to the other extreme. They are
q definite threat TO stability in
Western Germany
ANY large number Of unem-
ployed persons are a menace 10
any society. The mental atti-
tude OF these German refugees is
bad. They hate the Russians
they hate other Germans who
have not had TO leave their homes
and. OF course. they hate the
victorious Allies"
The Economic Cooperation Ad-
ministration mission TO Western
Germany quietly is surveying the
refugee problem 10 find out what
can be done.
ECA and the three Western mill
tary governments are pondering
several possible solutions: Emigra-
ton. farm settlement. redistriou-
ton and a public works program
to put the refugees to work.
The major effort probably will
60 into a public works program.
1t would be patterned after the
WPA of America S depression days
One ECA Official said: This
group OF refugees includes q vast
number OF skilled workers. The
problem is to put their talents to
work"
Funds Are There
ECA can step in under It's
authority to deal with any prob
lem threatening the economic
welfare Of a country participating
in the European Recovery Pro-
gram. Each participating country
is required to set aside in local
currency an amount equivalent to
ERP dollar aid. This Is called the
counterpart fund"
| ECA officials say this fund In
Western Germany may be used
to help finance q public works pro-
gram. It amounts to 233. .000. 200
Deutsche marks. or about $77.-
900. 900. for hizonal Germany and
SO, ,000. 900 Deutsche marks, or
about $4,000. 900. for the French
occupation zone.
A British ofiicial says q vast
migration Of refugees Is necessary
for the recovery Of Europe. and
the Rev. Henry Carter. president
of the World Council Of Churches
Refugee Committee, has proposed
that 1000, 900 refugees leave Ger
many. A special commission is
en- route to Australia. New Zealand
and the Union Of South Africa to
find out II they viii accept some
German refugees.
American ofiicials say that emf
grafton can hardly dent the mas
sive refugee problem. 1t must be
solved within Germany.
Some countries. they say. resent
Germans and refuse TO accept
German immigrants. Undeveloped
countries can accept large num-
bers Of refugees only II capital for
development purposes comes with
them.
French TO Take Some
Military governments are study
ing the possibility OF redistribut-
ing refugees to take some Of the
burden of areas where there are
heavy concentrations. Forty-five
per cent OF the population Of the
British zone state OF Schleswig-
Holstein Is refugees. There are
2,500. 900 refugees In the Ameri-
can zone state Of Bavaria.
Until recently the French have
refused to accept any stable
number OF refugees In their occu-
patton zone. But French officials
here say Gen. Pierre Koenig. the
French military governor. has now
agreed to accept SOC. 900 and per-
haps more later.
One In every i've persons In
Western Germany Is . refugee.
The flood Of refugees has In
creased the population Of the
British zone by 20 per cent. the
American zone by % per cent and
the French zone by 3 per cent.
The three Western zones could
not produce enough food 70 feed
even the normal population.
Housing Overloaded
In the American rome state Of
Bavaria. II per cent OF the refu-
gees are unemployed compared
with Z per cent Of the original
German population. In the United
States zone II per cent Of the to-
tai refugees are jobless and 10
per cent Of those employed are
working at other trades than their