Aistericam "(wish Periodical Cotter

Friday, September 27, 1946

responsibility. Their references to
"Jewish votes". in connection
with the President's actions were
unworthy of decent men and a no.
ble race but it is nothing now to
have the motives questioned of
one who seeks to act along purely
humanitarian lines. President Tru-
man has, in my opinion, done just
that and ho is to be commended
for it.
In one respect, however, the ac-
tion of the United States govern-
ment, or rather the lack of ac-
tion, has been most disappointing
and it has weakened bur position
in urging more prompt and effec-
tive action on the part of alters
toward at least a substantial start
in helping Displaced Persons—one
of the most fundamental and ur-
gent problems facing the United.
Nations today.
Last December, President Tru-
man issued a most commendable
directive that all and immediate
efforts of the United States Gov-
ernment should be bent toward
bringing to the United States,
within the quota limits, displaced
persons from Central Europe who
wished to come and who were ad-
missible under our laws. To Ve
sum the quota limits for the coun-
tries specified added up to the not
very impressive figure of thirty-
nine thousand. But the directive
gave to the United States an op-
portunity to demonstrate at the
same time its real concern for the
plight of millions of persons up-
rooted and displaced by the war
and also its efficiency.
Private agencies, including Bnai
Stith, proffered help in personnel
and even in financial support of
those who would benefit by the
program. But since it was a gov-
ernment undertaking, agencies of
the government had to pull the la-
boring oar. The private agencies
could help only to the extent they
were permitted to do so.
Now I realize it was no small
undertaking and I think I have in
mind the many problems and dif-
ficulties but I feel impelled to say
uu that what has been accomplsihed
in more than six months is most
disappointing and depressing. Not
more than two or three thousand
persons have been brought here. I
know how slowly the wheels of
government can work, but is this
all that the best and immediate
efforts of our government could
produce? Had we shown the same
efficiency, the same speed, the
same accomplishments during the
war, I fear our Allies would have

•

C

CLIFTON AVENUE CINCINNATI 20, 011I0

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

found us of far less help than in
fact we were.
I wish President Truman could
find time in the near future In an
already overwhelming schedule to
call for a report on why the prog-
ress in carrying out his directive
has been so slow. I say with the
utmost confidence we could have
done better. The thing that dis-
turbs me as I kncw it disturbs
others is wondering whether hero
again, as in other matters I have
mentioned, there is not somewhere
a determined resistance to doing
the right thing. No thinking and
fair-minded person can doubt that
for the United States to have tak-
en up quickly, within the course
of a few months, thirty-nine thou-
sand of the displaced persons, eli-
gible and eager to come here, was
the right timing for a country as
large and as strong as ours to
have done. And it was such a
small, right thing.
Yes, it would have offended
some members of the Congress. It
is no secret that the President's
directive was unpopular with some
of them. But we could have wea-
thered that and w5uld have
strengthened our hand as we now
endeavor to induce other nations
of the world to join us in really
doing something specific and con-
structive in solving the great prob-
lem of displaced persons, which
while it continues to exist will be
a threat to the peace and security
of the world.
I trust that within the next few
weeks, the immigration of dis.
placed persons as contemplated by
the President's directive will be
facilitated and accelerated, but I
am skeptical. I am still thinking
about the curious situation which
obtained only a few months ago,
as so well known to members of
this audience, in which one abroad
could not obtain a visa to come

to the United States until he had
obtained his transportation, and
everyone knew he couldn't get his
transportation until he had the
visa.
There is one other piece of un-
finished business I would mention
before I sit down. I refer to it be-
cause your fine organization has
been for so many years and still
is deeply interested in the devel-
opment of sound immigration and
naturalization laws.
About two years ago I resigned
from my position as Commission-
er of Immigration and Naturaliza-
tion. In my report filed at the
time, I made this observation:
"There are eleven bills before
Congiess which would amend or
eliminate racial barriers to nat-
uralization or immigration or
both, following along the lines
of the recent repeal of the Chi-
nese Exclusion Laws. It is the
opinion of the retiring Commis-
sioner that these bills are cor-

Page

Sewn

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•

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WISPER 1 WETSMAN
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Rosh Hashonah Greetings!

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A Happy New Year to All

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•

Rosh Hashonah Greetings

LE SHONO TOVO TIKOSEVU

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•

To our host of Jewish friends we ex-
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HERZBERG

AND

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_

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