Evening star., 1952-08-17

America Is abdicating, at least
temporarily, its world leadership IN
the program to find homes for the
displaced persons Of Europe. The
actual decision was made late last
spring when Congress overrode
President Truman's veto Of the Nc
Carran- Walter bill, with its strict
control Of immigration quotas. When
the Displaced Persons Commission
goes out of existence here at the end
Of this month, the abdication will
be complete.
Some still hope that the new Con-
gress will reverse its 1852 decision.
Prominent among these, Of course,
are the refugees still in Europe.
Overpopulation and displaced per-
sons are still major problems there.
in spite Of the impressive progress
that has been made. As President
Truman has explained 1t, "Commu-
mist tyranny has taken up where
Hitler's brutality left off" And the
people have reacted in the classic
manner-by running away.
One We day there were some 8
million persons living in European
countries they didn't want to call
home. Seven million of them were
repatriated in two years. The other
million were aided first by UNRRA
and then by the international Refu-
gee Organization, an affiliate OF the
United Nations. Each of these organ
izations drew its largest operating
frn,,o thu TTnifaI GfofnS
This country also agreed to share
In the IRO reSettlement program.
Congress, in the Displaced Persons
Act of 1948, decided the United
States would take in 341 900 persons.
more than any other country. The
Displaced Persons Commission was
organized in Washington to supervise
the selection and settlement Of the
refugees in this country.
Including persons coming in under
a 1850 extension of the United States
program. this country now has ac-
cepted about 100000 DPS in the last
four years. Included among them
were 53,450 persons of German
extraction who fled into West Ger
many or Austria from the Iron Cur
tain countries. There are another 10
million such Germanic refugees still
in West Germany, 3 million of them
unemployed and about 4 million
working only part Of the time.
Other Countries Share
Australia has been admitting 150.-
600 persons annually, but now is cut
ting the quota to $4,000. Canada
also is bringing in large numbers.
In 1851 our Northern neighbor ad-
mitted 194,391. Latin America ranks
third on the list.
Most of the DPS who came to the
United States settled in the Middle
Atlantic and North Central States.
AS could be expected. New York led
all States with 100000 admissions.
Congress laid down four require
ments for DPS to get to this country.
They had to have assurance of a
job from a sponsor, guarantee of
transportation to the place Of re-
settlement and housing when they
got there and assurance that they
would not become public charges.
Later a good faith oath" was re-
quired to combat movements by the
DPS away from the areas in which
they had agreed to settle.
Nineteen private organizations,
mostly religious and nationality
groups. worked with IS State COM
missions and five Federal Govern
ment agencies in finding individual
citizens who would agree to sponsor
refugees for immigration here.
Most of the data the Displaced
Persons Commission has collected
about refugees who settled in this
country reflects to their credit. They
apparently are harder working than
the average person. Labor force
statistics show that rs per cent
of the DPS over IA years old are
working. compared with only about
so per cent Of thu rest o6 ths popu.
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