Mr. President. time is running out. We cannot allow this humanitarian program to fall so far short of -its purpose that more than onefifth of the visas authorized are wasted. Much needs to be done by Congress to improve the act in a legislative way. Legislation is pending in the appropriate committees to make these changes. We should certainly do our part. We should take action as soon as possible to make those changes which experience has proved to be necessary to make the Refugee Relief Act workable. But something more immediate can be done and needs to be done. The President of the United States has it within his power to act now to prevent the refugee relief program from suffering a disastrous failure. What is needed now is leadership. rather than pious messages and good hope. I suggest that if this administration is not to stand charged with having deliberately failed in achieving the goal of the Refugee Relief Act. President Eisenhower must take those measures necessary to expedite the program. The President of the United States and the Secretary of State have it within their power. now. administratively. to make changes that will eliminate some of the handicaps under which this program is laboring. I do not say this solely on my own authority. This is the considered judgment of a number of church and civic groups that have been working in face of serious obstacles in an attempt to make the refugee relief program work. These groups joined in a plea to the President recently to take the administrative action necessary so that the full goals of the program may be achieved. There are probably no people who have a better acquaintance with the way this program has been functioning and the way in which it is being administered than those who have made these recommendations to President Eisenhower. They have worked patiently in close cooperation with the refugee relief administrators in an attempt to help as many people as possible to come to the United States under this program. They have spent large amounts of their own funds and labored long and hard in an effort to make this program work. They have been up against not only the many unworkable provisions of the act itself but also up against the apparent lack of will on the part of the administration to make this program a success.
Keywords matched
Refugee visas refugee