Speech #850177056

The situation has been carefully studied by a group of outstanding Americans. appointed by the International Rescue Commission and headed by Harold Zellerbach. This group. known as the Zellerbach Commission. has given us some solid answers to this critical problem. First. it recommends that the McCarranWalter Immigration Act be liberalized to permit the entry of 75.000 Iron Curtain refugees into the United Statesto achieve the goal. in concert with other Western nations. of emptying the refugee camps by 1958. Second. the Commission recommendsand I concurthat our officials in Europe must be freed from Washington redtape and given authority to make onthespot decisions. Third. it recommends that the United States escapee program be given adequate discretionary funds to do the job. Fourth. it urges countries giving asylum to these refugees to consciously make every effort to see that they get a friendly reception and humane treatmentan important step in rehabilitating their damaged morale. Failure on the part of the United States to take this kind of decisive action will play into the hands of the Russians and materially weaken us in the cold war. Our best friends in Europe feel that positive American leadership is indispensable in coping with the problem. For example. a highranking member of the Austrian Government told the Commission that if the United States were prepared to open its doors immediately to only 1.000 of the 20.000 refugees left in his country. Austria herself would absorb 10.000 into her own economy. Other nations would be stimulated into taking the remainder and the whole problem would be resolved.