Mr. President. on behalf of myself and the Senator from Illinois I introduce a bill to include under the War Claims Act of 1948 and thus provide some measure of justice to two classes of claimants who have not yet received an measure of recognition for the personal and property losses they suffered during World War II. The first group consists of refugees from nazism and other tyrannies who became citizens of the United States after they had suffered their losses. It is very unwise of us to deny these unfortunate people a measure of justice on the ground that they were not U.S. citizens when their property was seized. They were caught in an international holocaust. and were driven off their lands and despoiled of their property by the most brutal tyranny the world has known. The second group consists of persons who are now U.S. citizens and who were. during the Second World War. servicemen of the United States or her allies who were held as prisoners of war. or United States or allied nationals imprisoned by the enemy in violation of international standards. Both are most deserving classes of cases. This bill in part represents a longstanding struggle by the Senator from Illinois and myself to recognize the victims who suffered worst under the Nazis. who came here when they lost their property and when they had not yet been naturalized. Under the law it is only those who were naturalized when they lost property who get any protection when we negotiate claims settlements with foreign countries or impound their property. This is one of the most unfair provisions on our law books. We should try to eliminate that unfairness.
Keywords matched
naturalized refugees