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Page Twenty
THE J E W I SH NEWS
Friday, October 5, 1945
Army Spurred to Ease Displaced Jews' Condition
Harrison Recommends Settlement in Palestine
Maj. Nadich Reports
Position More Hopeful
tives there while others, having experienced intoler-
ance and persecution in their homelands, feel that
only in Palestine will they be welcomed and find
peace and quiet and be given an opportunity to live
and work. In the case of the Polish and the Baltic
Jews, the desire to go to Palestine is based in a great
measure of the cases on a love for the • country and
devotion to the Zionist ideal.
- Three weeks after The Jewish News, together
with other Jewish newspapers nationally, had
revealed that Earl G. Harrison, president Tru-
man's personal representative, had submitted a
report more than six weeks ago, exposing the
tragic plight of the Jews of Europe and urging
the opening of Palestine's doors for the settle-
ment of the survivors of Nazism, Mr. Harrison's
report was made public in Washington last Sat-
,
urday.
"It is also true, however, that there are many who
In the course of his report, Mr. Harrison states:
wish to go to Palestine because they realize that their
"As matters now stand, we appear to be treating
opportunity to be admitted into the United States or
the Jews as the Nazis treated them except that we do
into other countries in the Western Hemisphere is
not exterminate them. They are in concentration
limited, if not impossible. Whatever the motive which
camps in large numbers under our military guard
causes them to turn to Palestine, it is undoubtedly
instead of SS troops. One is led to wonder whether
true that the great majority of the Jews now in Ger-
the German people, seeing this, are not supposing that
many do not wish to return to those countries from
we are following or at least condoning Nazi policy."
which they came .. .
"Specificially, in the days immediately ahead,"
Prompt Planning Should Be Made
Harrison said, `the Jews in Germany and Austria
"With respect to those who do not, for good
should have the first claim upon the conscience df the
reason, wish to return to their homes, prompt
people of the United States and Great Britain . ."
planning should likewise be undertaken. In this
connection, the issue of Palestine must be faced.
He emphasized the urgency of the situation which
Now that such large numbers are no longer in-
he said obviously would not be satisfactorily handled
volved and if there is genuine sympathy for what
if referred to the United Nations organization.
these survivors have endured, some reasonable ex-
Harrison, dean of the University of Pennsylvania
tension or modification of the British White Paper
law school and Philadelphia attorney, formerly headed
of 1939 ought to be possible without too serious
the government's alien registration program and served
repercussions. For some of the EuroRean Jews,
as commissioner of immigration • in the Justice De-
there is no acceptable or even decent solution for
partment.
their future other than Palestine. This is said
`Assembly. Camps' Now Operating
on a purely humanitarian basis with no reference
Maj. Judah Nadich, special consultant to Gen.
to ideological or political considerations so far as
Eisenhower on Jewish activities,- stated on _Monday
Palestine is concerned.
- in Frankfurt, Germany, that plans to- establish Jews
"The Jewish Agency of Palestine has submitted
in their- own camps in Germany 'is working out well.
to the British Government a- petition that 100,000 ad-
A number of such Jewish "assembly centers" are
ditional immigration certificates be made available. A.
already operating.
memorandum accompanying the petition makes a per-
Chaplain Nadich, a former Chicago rabbi, stated
suasive showing with respect to the inuriediate absorp-
that the picture of the Jewish position is already more
tive capacity of Palestine and the current, actual man-
hopeful and added: "I do not think that Jews' are
power shortages there.
going to., have a rough time because the. Army now
"While there may be room for difference of opinion
is really personally concerned about them."
as to the precise number of such certificates which
Chaplain Nadich said that Jews do not want to
might under the circumstances be considered reason-
return to Poland. He stated that 80 per cent of the
able, there is no question but that the request thus
refugee Jews in Germany desire to settle in Palestine
made would, if granted, contribute much to the sound
and he declared that migration there is the soundest
solution for the future of- Jews still in Germany and
long-term solution to their problem.
Austria and even other displaced Jews, who do not
wish either to remain there or to return to their
Eisenhower Orders Seizing of German Dwellings
countries of nationality.
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Acting in accordance with
"No other single matter, is therefore, so im-
Sharp directives from President Truman • to improve
portant from the viewpoint of Jews in Germany
the plight of the displaced persons in Germany, espe-
and Austria and those elsewhere who have known
cially tens of thousands of Jews, Gen'. Eisenhower
the horrors of the concentration camps as is the
ordered that lodgings are to be requisitioned for Jews,
disposition of the Palestine question."
it is reported from Frankfurt.
Simultaneously with the release of the Harrison
report, President Truman directed Gen. Eisenhower
"to clean up the shocking conditions" affecting the
displaced Jews in Germany, outside of the Russian
zone.
On Sunday, however, a spokesman for Gen. Eisen-
hower stated in Frankfort, Germany, that "we have
nothing to apologize for" in connection with the Jew-
ish sufferers in concentration camps. This spokesman
maintained that. the Jewish camps "are in splendid
shape now as compared with a few months ago. "
Harrison's Report Came Late
The contention was that the Harrison report came
late and that conditions had improved.
Mr. Harrison's report stated that displaced Jews
' were held in camps behind barbed wires, guarded
-by U. S. soldiers, under conditions that were un-
sanitary, the food poor and insufficient, with the
military more concerned with other. matters.
It was on the basis of this report that President
Truman directed a personal appeal to Prime Minister
Attlee urging the immediate opening of Palestine's
doors for 100,000 survivors of Nazism.
Mr. Harrison reported that people in the camps
are desperate, that unauthorized movements must be
expected unless proper remedial action is taken.
The opening of Palestine's doors to the surviving
Jews is urged by Mr. Harrison. His statements on
Palestine, taken from his report, reads:
"With respect to possible places of re-settlement
for those who may be stateless or who do not wish
to return to their homes, Palestine is definitely and
preeminently the first choice. Many now have rela-
80 Pct. of Survivors
Desire to Go to Zion
World Informed of Plight of Europe's Jew
Showdown on Palestine Expected in Few Days
Prominent Christians
Join Jews in Appeal
The tragic position of the surviving Jews of
Europe, brought to the attention of the civilized
world by American newspaper and news service
correspondents, and especially by the report on
the status of the Jews of Europe submitted to
President Truman by Earl G. Harrison, is- forc-
ing attention upon the issue affecting the status
of Palestine, with the result that a speedy solu-
ion may be forced during the coming few days.
Highlighting the news from London affecting Pal-
estine's status is the report that Foreign Secretary
Ernest Bevin and members of the Executive Committee
of the British Labor Party will confer this week Dr.
Chaim Weizmann and a .delegation representing the
World Zionist Organization,
President Truman is reported to have re-
ceived tens of thousands of messages from all parts
. of the country calling upon him to continue to act
in behalf of the survivors of Nazism.
Last Saturday, President Truman received two
delegations with whom he discussed the tragic position
of the Jews of Europe—one representing the American
Jewish Committee, consisting of Judge Joseph M. Pros-
kauer and Jacob M. Blauston, and another represent-
ing the American Zionist Emergency Council, consist-
ing of Drs. Abba Hillel Silver and Stephen S. Wise.
The text of the statement issued by the Amer-
ican Jewish Committee delegation read as follows:
- "The President received Joseph M. , Proskauer,
'president, and Jacob Blaustein, chairman of the execu-
tive committee, of the American Jewish" Committee.
It 'was represented to the President that there was
a sharp' distinction between the importance of Pales-
tine as a place of homeland and refuge and the ques-
tion of statehood for Palestine, and that the tragic
events of the summer have sharply accentuated the
need for opening the doors of Palestine to substantial
further Jewish immigration.
"The President was informed that the committee's
reports from Europe indicate that this is now becom-
ing a stark matter of saving human lives. The ques-
tion is not one now of political ideology. Increase in
immigration is necessary to give hope of life 'to the
unfortunate remnants of European Jewry which have
managed to survive.
. "The President expressed his' deep interest in the
program to save human life by the securing of prompt
issuance of a substantial number of certificates for
Jewish immigration into Palestine. He stated that he
was using the good offices of this country to effectu-
ate that result.
Using Best Influence of Government
President Truman, whose appeal in behalf of the
Jews of Europe has aroused a great deal of action in
"
England, has informed the delegations that he is using
the best influence of our government in an effort to'
obtain a prompt and substantial increase in the num-
ber of certificates for Jewish immigration into Palestine.
The many thousands of appeals addressed to Presi-
dent Truman include a strong message from the In-
ternational League for the Rights of Man.
Many prominent Christians joined with their Jew-
ish friends in Detroit in urging our government to act.
Mayor Edward J. Jelfries of Detroit addressed
his appeal to the President urging unlimited Jew-
ish immigration to Palestine.
Members of the Michigan Chapter of the Am-
erican Palestine Committee joined in appeals to
President Truman in behalf of free Jewish im-
migration to Palestine.
Among those who- sent telegrams was Richard T.
Frankensteen, vice-president of International UAW-
CIO, and R. J. Thomas, CIO president.
Terrorism Mounting in Palestine
In the meantime, the situation in Palestine has be-
come acute, with terrorism rising and the British gov-
ernment sending an- air-borne division of the British
Eighth Army into the country as vanguard of heavy
troop reinforcements to prevent possible disturbances.
New regulations for the maintenance of peace con-
ferred additional power upon the local Palestine ad-
ministration.
A Jewish Telegraphic Agency report from Jeru-
salem states that the Jewish population in Palestine
is amused by exaggerated reports sent from Palestine
by American non-Jewish news agencies about tanks
"rolling through the streets of Palestine cities, after
demonstrations by Jewish nationalists." The truth is
that nothing but police radio cars which have been
patrolling Palestine for nine months are seen in the
streets, and the reported "demonstrations" are amicable
joint Arab-Jewish labor gatherings in Tel. Aviv' and a
march by several thousand bearded orthodox Jewish
pilgriiris from all parts of Palestine to -the Wailing
Wall in Jerusalem on Succoth carrying lulovim and
ethrogin.
The Jews of Palestine are not' indifferent, how-
ever, to the reports froth London that immigration is
to remain restricted. The- iistadruth summoned a
special conference for Monday to discuss the present
political developments.
Jews of Palestine also are excited at the repert,
published this week, that Arab leaders who were exiled
from Palestine in 1937 for inciting anti-Jewish and
anti-British riots, including Jamal Husseini, have re-
ceived British permission to proceed to an unspecified
Arab country in the Middle East. These leaders, who
have been held in Rhodesia, now will be able to direct
the Arabs in Palestine from nearby countries, it is
feared.
London Zionist circles have' revealed that U. S.
Secretary of State James F. Byrnes, while in
London attending the meeting of the Council of
Foreign Ministers, received Dr. Chaim Weizmann
with whom he discussed Palestine problems at
length.
Continue to Urge Partition
Leading British newspapers, including the Lon-
don Times, continue to urge a partition of Palestine so
that a small Jewish State should be established as
Bevin, Dr. Weizmann
Conference Reported •
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a means of solving the problem. The belief is express-
ed that the Arabs would consent to a partition scheme.
In a letter to the London Times, Dr. Judah L.
Magnes, president of the Hebrew University, rejects
partition and reiterates his demand for the establish-
ment of a bi-national state based on the numerical parity
of Arabs and Jews.
Dr. Magnes urges the immediate transfer of- the
European Jews to Palestine and advocates that the
country should be set up under a United Nations
trusteeship.
The American Zionist Emergency Council, in,- an
open letter to Prime Minister Attlee, the text of which
was published in a number of newspapers, including
the Detroit Free Press, warned the British govern-
ment' that the 'Zionists are at "the very end of our
patience"- and that "no palliative solutions will be ac-
cepted by American Jewry or by what is left of
European Jewry."
Christian World's Responsibility
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Signed by Dr. Silver and by Dr. Wise, the letter
declares that the entire Christian world bears the res-
ponsibility for allowing Hitler to massacre hundreds
of thousands of Jews, and Britain particularly because
of its refusal to allow Jews fleeing Europe to enter
Palestine. The letter recalls the Labor Party's pro-
Zionist stand before its election and demands that it
fulfill its pledges.
Rejecting the British offer of a small amount of
additional Palestine immigration certificates monthly,
and the government's plea that it is beset by many
more pressing problems, the Council says that one of
the Labor Government's first steps Should have been
the opening of Palestine to free, unrestricted immigra-
tion and the proclamation of a' Jewish State.
The influential Swiss Journal de Geneva also urges
the formation of a bi-national state. .
David Ben Gurion, chairman of the executive of
the Jewish Agency, in a cable to representatives of
Jewish organizations in Palestine, from London, called
the Palestine situation "most critical" and urged resist-
ance to the continuation of enforcement of the White
Paper.
Bernard Joseph, legal adviser of the Jewish
Agency, declared that "every -Jew has the right to
return to the Jewish Homeland; that is why Britain
was given the Palestine Mandate!'
Publication of a two column letter in the Ne
York Times in which Rabbi Morris S. Lazaron o
Palestine again attacks efforts for the establishmen
of a Jewish State has aroused resentment. It is gen
erally felt that in a time like this, when all people
should unite to secure a speedy solution of the prob
lem of the 1,250,000 Jewish survivors of Nazism, an3
negative note will serve to impede progress in effor
to assure an open door policy for Jewish immigrant'
in Palestine.