Speech #860272013

Mr. Speaker. on May 19. 1959. the President proclaimed the period from July 1. 1959. to June 30. 1960. as World Refugee Year. Some 70 nations in the free world joined in celebrating this event in answer to a United A5781 Nations resolution adopted in December of 1958. The purpose and the hope of World Refugee Year were to stimulate actionprivate. governmental. and internationalin support of refugee assistance of all types throughout the world. It is too early to say what concrete results have been relaized in the last 12 months. It is apparent. however. that the basic aim of encouraging support for refugee assistance has been fulfilled and that a campaign has been launched which with continued support will do much to resolve the many problems of the worlds uprooted and homeless people. The world refugee population was not significantly altered during World Refugee Year. Some progress was made in Europe. but there are still some 18.000 living in the barren. souldepressing atmosphere of the refugee camps there. I would like to quote the following passage from the final report of the Zellerbach Commission which describes this atmosphere: One has only to visit a European camp and to talk to some of the refugees who have been there for years to understand why prolonged existence under these conditions erodes the spirit of man. After years of inactivity. the refugees become accustomed to a way of life requiring neither effort nor initiative. They accept the compressed living quarters. the total lack of privacy. the lack of sanitary facilities as normal. Worse still. they even lose their capacity for indignation at a fate that is little better than a living death. They may marry and have children in the camps. because it is natural for human beings to do so. But they helplessly accept the malformation of their childrens character which goes on before their eyes. There is nothing more appalling than the spectacle of refugees so attached to their dreary corner of a barrack building that they refuse to leave itlike the Yugoslav inmate at Camp Landshut who. after spending 5 years there with his wife and children. said to one of the Commission staff: "Dont bother to get us out. We are all right here. Just let us live and send up parcels." The progress made in Europe during the past year was more than offset in numbers of refugees added in other of the trouble spots of the world. Tibetans continue today to crowd into neighboring countries of India. Nepal. and Bhutan. The cliffs of Hong Kong team with an everincreasing number of Chinese fleeing from the mainland. The problem of what to do with a million displaced Palestinian Arabs is no nearer to any apparent solution now than it was a dozen years ago. These are merely some of the problems In the world refugee picture. They could not all possibly be solved in a years time. nor were they expected to be. I would like to take this occasion to commend the U.S. Committee for Refugees for its untiring efforts in behalf of refugee assistance. In addition to fund raising and encouraging fund raising drives by other voluntary organizations in the United States. the Committee undertook an ambitious and successful campaign to arouse public interest in the plight of refugee. As stated by its executive director in his recent report "the U.S. Committee reached the American through his newspapers. magazines. radio. and television. through the service club. church. or other community organizations to which he belongs. and through the good example and stimulus of his fellow townsmen." I believe that there are now over 70 cooperating committees organized by USCR on State and local levels which will continue to work in an effort to render assistance to refugees. Finally. I would like to call attention to the fact that there is presently before Congress a modest refugee relief proposalHouse Joint Resolution 397which should certainly be approved before we adjourn this year. This legislation has passed the House and is presently before the Senate. It is not as ambitious an undertaking as some would like to have seen adopted in view of the situation brought to light during World Refugee Year. It is the most that can be hoped for at this time. however. and should. therefore. receive unanimous approval. World Refugee Year is now over. But the problems with which it was concerned remain to plague the conscience of mankind. Let us hope that the charity. interest. and enthusiasm engendered during World Refugee Year will be carried forth undiminished and that we will not leave the refugee to his hapless fate. feeling that we have done our part and need do no more. Sugar Act of 1948 SPEECH OF