Exclusive Cable From Dingell
Detroit Congressman Describes
Experience in Italian DP Camps
Special Cable to The Jewish News
By JOHN ;D. DINGELL
-
-
Member of Congress, 15th Michigan District
I have inspected displaced' persons
NAPLES,
camps at Rome and Naples.
•
- It was a heartbreaking experience.
There can be no other solution to this problem other
than the absorption of refugees by immigration and the
earliest_possible closing of the camps.
Lives, heartaches and worries would be ,saved by such
a procedure.
We must insist upon the refugees ab-
sorption—and nothing less.
At the Inter-Parliamentary Union which
I attended in Rome together with other
Members of Congress, as a delegate from the
United States, I was dissapointed—and help-
less—in an effort to bring out a stronger
declaration regarding displaced persons.
Point 16 in our final adopte4 declara-
tion reads: .
"Since every -human being has a right to
Dingell
life it is the duty of the community of States to bear, within
the limits of their respective means, the burden resulting
from the harbouring of displaced persons,, refugees, state-
_ less persons or persons fleeing from war, pestilence or natural
catastrophes." -
This point leaves out the much to be desired draining
of the. camps which would mean their earliest possible reduc-
tion. The sentiment, however, was not present in the confer-
ence and our American delegation was powerless to get more
liberal action.
A minor amendment introduced by, Senator Owen
Bfewster of_Maine was defeated, largely because several
I
-
nations' delegates
abstained from voting.
I spoke at the conference regarding point 16 and pointed
out that superficiality of our action which treated the critical
and painful problem in a manner that left unsurfeited the
hopeless people confined in the DP camps. I branded the
situation as a continuation . of the concentration camps. I
urged members of the conference to make not only a personal
-investigation of the problem and how to eliminate it but also
urged the executive committee to prepare the way for the
consideration of the matter on this basis at the next con-
ference. Unfortunately, we had no power to legislate but
only to discuss.
South German States Accept Draft
Of Restitution Law for Persecutees
MUNICH ,(JTA) — A restitu- ment of such restitution claims
tion commission of the Couhcil from fines levied by denazifica-
of South German States—includ- tion courts and from valuables
ing Bavaria, Hesse • and Wuert- and other property found in con-
temberg-Baden, all in the -V. S. centration camps by the Allied
zone—has accepted a draft of a forces. Since the German states
restitution law to go into effect assert that they cannot pay all
in all the states upon its passage claims at once, a priority of pay-
ment has been established in the
by their parliaments.
The measure declares eligible legislation. It provides for imme-
for restitution all persons who diate payment in the following
suffered a loss of health, personal cases: •
freedom, property or other eco-
1. Expenses' required for re-
nomic or financial damages 'as a storing the health of an individ-
result of political, religious or ual persecutee;
-
racial persecution between Jan.
2. Funds required to pay rent
30, 1933, and May 8, 1945.
by survivors, relatives of sur-
The law names as responsible vivors and invalid persecutees.
for payment of damages to claim-
3. Funds paid as compensation
ants persons who caused their
persecution by a deliberate act, for arrest and internment;
4. Pensions for officials who
such as informers. Also liable to
payment of damages are persons lost them as a result of persecu-
who caused injury by1/4,,their atti- tion and payment to surviving
tude toward them and public relatives of such deceased offi-
officials' who profited personally cials; •
from persecutions. Specifically
5. Financial help to perse-
exempted from this provision are cutees who are working at' pres-
persons who were forced to per- ent.
secute others or who did so as
After these claims have been
part of their "professional" satisfied, payment_of financial
duties..
claims up to 10,000 marks ($1,000
In addition to this personal li- under the new currency) will be
ability, the law provides that the made. All other claims will fol-
German state in which the perse- low these and regulations gov-
cutee was living on Jan.• 1, 1947, erning them will 'be decided upon
is also liable for payment of res- by the governments of the indi-
titution claims. DPs who regis- vidual states.
tered and resided in a DP camp
in the American zone on that
date are also eligible for restitu- Hoover's Former Yacht
tion.
Brings Jews Jo Israel
The law permits filing by the
persecutee himself or, if he, died
HAIFA, (Palcor). — The ship
before Jan. 1, 1947, by his direct
descendants and legal heirs up "Mala Mala," former yacht of
to the third degree. In all other President Herberl Hoover,
cases claims may be submitted by docked here flying the Panaman-
the Jewish Restitution Successor ian flag and crowded with immi-
Organization which will use the grants who embarked in Mar-
funds for " the rehabilitation of seilles. Many of them are veter-
surviving Jews. The Successor ans of the tragic "SS Exodus
Organization is entitled to apply 1947." UN observers boarded the
for property of communal organi- ship and searched for arms after
zations which were destroyed, a false alarm by the Panamanian
for property where no legal heir Consul in Marseilles who radioed
of a deceased persecutee is trace- American Consul John McDonald
able and in instances where the in Jerusalem that a vessel had
legal owners or descendants do departed "illegally" for Israel.
The Beirut radio announced that
not choose to ask restitution.
Funds will be made available UN cruisers assisted by the
to the German states for pay- British Royal Navy were scour-
ing the seas for the mysterious
munitions ship which turned out
19—THE JEWISH NEWS
to be another immigrant vessel.
Friday, October 1, 1948
The Jewish National Fund Council
of Detroit Extends Heartiest New
Year Greetings to Detroit Jewry
We take this means of thanking all contributors to the Palestine land
redemption fund for their generosity during 5708 and we look forward
to their continued cooperation during 5109.
The New Year Marks the Realization of
Our 2;000-Year-Old Dream for the'
Re-Establishment of the State of Israel
Judge Morris Rothenberg, President of the Jewish National'
Fund of America, upon his return from Israel made the follow-
ing important declaration:
"The General Zionist Council decided that the Jewish National Fund shall remain
an independent instrument, separate and apart from the Government of Israel
but cooperating with it. The Jewish National Fund will continue its activities
to acquire land in Israel by purchase for the settlement of additional Jews. A large
new influx of immigrants makes it necessary that considerable tracts of new land
be secured, for there are no land reserves and very little state lands.
"One of the many consequences of the British withdrawal from Palestine is the
nullification of the vicious British. Land Transfer Regulations of' 1940, which
prevented Jews from acquiring land by purchase in 95 per cent of Palestine. Jews
are now free to acquire land in the State of Israel.
"The new conditions have created a very hopeful aspect to the Jewish. land prob-
lem in Israel. It will be' possible in the near future to acquire through the Jewish
National Fund additional tracts of approximately 506,000 dunams (125,000 acres)
of land. This will entail an investment of approximately $60,000,000. American
Jews who have played so historic a role in the development of Palestine and the
reconstitution of the Jewish State are expected to give theii maximum - support .
to the raising of the resources so urgently needed, to meet the existing and future
colonization needs in Israel. They will thus make a new great contribution \ to
the young democracy of Israel."
Our Work for JNF MUST Go On!
Let Us Redouble Our Efforts for
JNF During the New Year 5709
During the coming year, the Jewish National Fund_ Council calls upon every Jew to
give the fullest cooperation to the land-redemption fund by supporting the following
traditional projects of. the
The Blue and Wfrtite Boxes
RedeMption of Dunams of Land
• Sefer Ha Yeled—Children's Golden Br 3k
The. Golden Book
Sefer Bar Mitzvah
The Planting of Trees
During Haskarath Neshomoth, remember the beloved departed by contributing
liberally to the Jewish National Fund. This has become a traditional - practice
in Jewry to memorialize our dear ones. You may make your contributions to
the Jewish National Fund office, 11608 Dexter, TO. 8-7384, or by dropping
extra coins in your JNF Blue and White Box.
- Respond liberally to the
semi-annual clearance•of
We also call upon The Jewish women of
Detroit to support the activities of the
JNF Blue and White
JNF • Ladies' Auxiliary, through the
Boxes.
Auxiliary's annual donor. _events which
ali:eady have provided large sums for land
A Happy New Year to all
—and may the year 5709
witness the complete real-
ization of our hopes for
peace and security for the
State of Israel.
redemption and for the establishment of
a Detroit settlement in Palestine — a
Nachlath Ladies Auxiliary of the Jewish
National Fund of Detroit.
Jewish National Fund Council of Detroit
IRVING W. SCHLUSSEL, President
WILLIAM HORDES, Chairman, Executive Committee
Ladies' Auxiliary of Jewish National Fund
MRS. JACK ROSENTHAL, President