Speech #800211920

The Committees report explains that the date of December 22. 1945. was selected because it was the date applied under the Presidents directive of that date. There was justificition forestablishing this deadline under thePresidents directive at the time of its Issuance because the numbers- applying for admission to the United States obviously exceeded those admissible under the quotas and also because. It was desired to avoid an influx of refugees into the United States zone for the purpose of taking advantage of its provisions. -However. our own consuls subsequently found this date so difficult to administer that the Department of State. on February 12. 1948. changed the date to April 21. 1947. This later date was the one on Which General Clay closed the displacedpersons camps to further admittance. As far as discrimination against Jewish displaced persons is concerned. I should like to point out that almost all of the Jewish displaced persons who remain in Germany. "AusXCIV G8 tria. and Italy arrived in those countries after December 22. 1945. They.have been admitted to the displacedpersons camps and are fully eligible under the International Refugee Organization Constitution. Under the circumstances.It would be unfortunate to exclude most ot this group from potential eligibility. It is. therefore recommended that .the date of eligibilitybe changed.to April 21. 1947.