Speech #790217330

Britain was making the Jews a political football. and today. more than a year after the cessation of hostilities in Europe. Britain is continuing to kick these poor people around. When the British labor government ascertained that the force of American public opinion was so strongly behind the Presidents recommendation to move 100.000 refugees into Palestine. Mr. Attlee and his associates. fearful that this attitude might react adversely against passage of the British loan agreement then pending in the Senate. in an effort to sidetrack this American opinion. proposed to our State Department that the United States and Britain jointly inquire into the Palestine situation in Europe generally as it applied to homeless Jews. Most of us realized that this was a stalling device. but all of us were hopeful that something constructive might possibly result. One worthwhile recommendation did come from this committee. and it was a unanimous recommendation. It was to the effectand I quote the recommendation from the official report: First. that 100.000 certificates be authorized immediately for the admission into Palestine of Jews who have been the victims of Nazi and Fascist persecution. and Second. that the certificates be awarded as far as possible in 1946 and that actual immigration be pushed forward as rapidly as conditions will permit. Immediately upon the promulgation of this report on April 30. the President of the United States. in a statement issued from the White Ho4se. declared that he was very happy that the request which he made for the immediate admission of 100.000 Jews in Palestine had been unanimously endorsed by the committee of inquiry. "The transference of these unfortunate people." President Truman said. "should now be accomplished with the greatest dispatch." Appreciating the great need for haste. and aware that the plight of these poor people becomes more tragic day by day. the President immediately instituted negotiations with Mr. Attlees government to put into effect. without a moments delay. the unanimous recommendation of the committee for the admission of these people into Palestine.