Speech #860030050

Italy and others. This. in turn. was matched by supporting contributions from the governments of the asylum countries in the amount of $19.100.000. Thus. an investment of some $5 million on the part of the United States has. with contributions from the asylum governments and other Western governments. snowballed into a total program for the integration of refugees. costing over $32 million. As of September 30. 1958. the United Nations Refugee Fund reported that over 26.000 refugees had been firmly resettled through these projects and that some 20.000 others had been beneficiaries in varying degree. This accomplishment becomes all the more impressive when one remembers that the majority of the refugees resettled through the UNREF program had been static over a period of years and were. in one degree or another. difficult to resettle. Because of this. it has required an average expenditure of almost $1.000 per capita to bring about firm resettlement. Through the work of the American voluntary agencies overseas and in this country. through the U.S. escapee program. through our support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. through the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration. through the Displaced Persons Act. through the Refugee Relief Act. through Public Law 85316. through the admission of more than 37.000 Hungarian refugees. through all these things. we have established since the end of the war a record of generosity of which we may be proud as a Nation. I should like to say a few words in particular about the U.S. escapee program. since it was 7 years ago this month that the U.S. Government established the escapee program to assist newly arriving escapees from Communist tyranny. Working with the governments of asylum countries and with the United States and international voluntary agencies. USEP has in these 7 years made an outstanding contribution in helping these refugees to establish themselves as useful and productive members of society. In almost every country bordering the Iron Curtain the refugee reception centers have been improved and the refugees are now given a warm and generous welcome and are assisted on their way to a decent life in the free world. A total of 205.452 persons have been registered for USEP assistance. Of this number 117.779 have been assisted in resettling overseas in a country of their choice while 37.044 have been integrated as selfsustaining residents of communities in the asylum countries. To accomplish this goal. thousands of refugees have been given medical care trained in languages and vocations. and placed in employment and private dwellings. These refugees and thousands of other persons. including people still behind the Iron Curtain. are aware that these accomplishments are a direct and practical demonstration of U.S. concern for those who flee Communist oppression. I believe .I voice the sentiments of all my colleagues in tendering congratulations to the U.S. escapee program on its seventh anniversary. But we cannot rest on our past laurels. As of this moment. there is no legislation in force under which refugees from Communist tyranny can be admitted to this country. Meanwhile. the problem of the residual refugee. although reduced in magnitude. becomes more difficultand more urgentwith every passing month. Our own Government and the other Western governments have recognized the need for a special effort to deal with the refugee problem through their sponsorship of the U.N. General Assembly resolution calling for the observance of World Refugee Year. to commence July 1959. The purpose of this resolutionwhich the free world owes to the inspiration of the Crossbow Group of the British Conservative Partyis: First. to focus interest on the refugee problem. second. to encourage additional financial contributions from governments. voluntary agencies. and the general public. third. to encourage additional opportunities for permanent refugee solutions. . It is my honest hope that. having made the moral commitment implicit in the U.N. resolution on World Refugee Year. the United States will provide the moral leadership which our world position demands in the practical implementation of this proposal. This will. of course. involve both a substantial increase in our contributions for refugee purposes and legislation admitting a fair share of the refugees to this country. I am convinced that such a program would have the sympathy and support of the American people. I am encouraged in this belief. among other things. by the recent formation of the U.S. Committee for Refugees. a broadly based independent citizens group. embracing representatives of the voluntary agencies. the AFLCIO. the American Red Cross. and many prominent private individuals. The first function of this Committee will be to coordinate planning for the observance of World Refugee Year in the United States. The Committee proposes to carry on an educational and informational program to be developed through civic and fraternal organizations. industry. labor. and religious groups. as well as through mass media. The formation of the U.S. Committee for Refugees has been given the encouragement of the Government. The Coinmittee is In consultation with Government officials and Members of Congress on plans for the implementation of World Refugee Year. It is my understanding that they will shortly make. their recommendations public. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the body of the rdsumd of the findings and recommendations of the Zellerbach Commission on the European Refugee Situation. I do so because I feel it contains many significant and stimulating proposals which deserve the close attention of legislators and members of Government. The Zellerbach Commission.