Speech #780026499

Welles proposes on behalf of the United States that consultations be pursued on a broader and more permanent basis. this question is once more passed over in silence. It is submitted that the time has come to make place for the Jewish question on the agenda of the world. and to make place for the representatives of thestateless Jews of the world on the councils of the United Nations. The sane characteristic omission mars our note to Britain on the refugee question. With a great deal of realism. the note points out our generous contribution to the solution of the refugee problem in the past. and with commendable frankness it acknowledges that our own share in affording asylum for refugees is "bound by legislation enacted by Congress determining the immigration policy of the United States." But where the note departs from realism is in its insistence that "the refugee problem should not be considered as being c6nfined to persons of any particular race or faith." Of course. it is not so confined. but it is childish to pretend that the refugee problem presents always the same questions. regardless of the difference in composition of the various refugee groups. Each case presents problems of its own. and must be accorded individual attention. There is no evidence of this intention in our note. Another shortcoming of this not... is that it treats the refugee problem as a temporary one. All that it tries tc accomplish is to provide temporary asylum for the refugees in neutral or United Nations territory. with one end in view. namely. "their prompt return to their native countries upon the termination of hostilities." W- know that to pretend that this solution will be feasible in all cases is "bunkum." It is especially "bunkum" in the case of many Jewish refugees. uprooted. shorn of all their possessions. embittered by many proofs of hostility received in the past. and suspicious of continued bitterness on the part of their neighbors in the future. President Roosevelt has publicly acknowledged this. and has stated that several million people will have to be helped to resettle in new lands. Mr. Hoover has agreed that preparations should be made for new lands to receive those masses of refugees whom it will be impractical to return to their former homes. All Jewish organizations. without any notable exception. agree that repatriation will be possible in part of the cases only. and that in many other cases resettlement will be required. not only resettlement of actual refugees. but even of many who will have remained in their countries of origin until the end of the war. In the face of such unanimity of opinion among all those who have seriously studied the question. the attitude of the Department of State. revealed in the note to which I have referred. cannot possibly contribute to a satisfactory solution. It can only contribute to confuse the situation even more. and to insure that we shall be worried by it again and again.