I wrote to the State Department and asked what steps were being taken to expedite action under the terms of the program. As late as the middle of December 1953. despite the fact that the bill had been made public law on August 1. 1953. the rules and regulations had not been completed by the State Department. so as to enable the countries which were to participate to have their programs ready to operate. The reason there are so few assurances on the part of Americans who would provide homes and employment for the refugees is that only now have the regulations been written. By the way. there are almost 2.000 assurances already completed. and only 6 or 7 refugees have come to the United States. I wish to make it quite clear that these are not simply what might be called any old refugees. These are persons who left East Germany when the Communists took over that country. persons who were driven out of Poland when the Communists took over Poland. persons who left Czechoslovakia and have been interned. so to speak. in camps in West Germany. They are freedomloving. devoted. democratic. patriotic people. It was the wish of the President. a year ago. that this program be acted upon by Congress. It was the will of Congress that the program be effectively and efficiently administered. I think it is fair to say now that the program has been gathering dust in the State Department. under the general jurisdiction of the security officer of the State Department. who found plenty of time to make Lincoln Day speeches. but did not have enough time to work on the refugee program. I might suggest to the security officer that if he would attend to his business in the State Department and not engage in traveling around the country making political speeches. perhaps we would get along with the program he is supposed to administer.
Keywords matched
refugee refugees