To* Please Deliver ' From: Dr. Hevesi

Transcription

1 r To* Please Deliver ' From: _ Dr. Hevesi

2 Advisor on Jewish Affairs Headquarters European Command Office of the Commander in Chief COPY _^ li C 1 ft APO 757 Jft».M. New York Mr. Meier Grossman 19 November 1947 American Jewish Conference 521 Fifth Avenue lew York, H.I. Bear Mr. Grossman: There are several current items of interest on which I should like to report for the information of the Organizations. 1. Anti-Semitism a. Military Survey. A Frankfurt representative of the United Press informed me that he had been trying to get a copy of the Survey made five or K4X months ago by the Army among officers and enlisted men with regard to their attitudes towards Jews and Negroes. The newspaper man stated that he had been advised that such a Survey was made, and that the results were "shocking." He was told that General Clay did not want to have the report made public because to do so would be harmful to the public interest. The newspaper man asked me whether I would not intervene and urge the General to permittee release of the Survey, I replied that, if the Survey has been scientifically taken, and questions asked were clear and fair, and the results accurately presented the state of mind of those questioned, I would favor its release. If, on the other hand, General Clay objected to the release because he did no^jftonsider the Survey an accurate one, X would agree with his point of view. In my opinion, freedom of the Press does not mean freedom of mis information. General Clay showed me the Survey yesterday. It is highly restricted and I cannot reveal the questions asked, $or the answers given. I am, however, in complete agreement with General Clay that the Survey was conducted in an unscientific way, and the questions asked were loaded and misleading. To me, the "conclusions" arrived at by the Surveyors are not at all warranted. As a matter of fact, in view of the misleading questions asked, I personally, regard the answers as encouraging rather than "shocking." b, Land E. Bulletins on Jewish DPs. General Clay informed me that he has given instructions to have all of the changes suggested by me, in my memorandum, incorporated in the Troop Information and Education Bulletins, as and when reprinted. He does not, however, approve of the idea of having a special bulletin dealing with the Jewish DP problem as he feels such a discussion is likely to aggravate rather than reduce existing tensions. o. Non-Jewish German Meetings. "*' During the last month I have attended two meetings of non-jewish Germans1 one in Berlin and one in Frankfurt. The former was an informal reception to Dr. Everett Clinchy. The leading clergymen of Berlin were present. Except for one speaker, all of those who addressed the gathering were rather cold and guarded in discussing the Jewish question.

3 There was, however, a remarkably moving address by a Dr. Gruber, a deacon of the Evangelical Ghurch who called upon his fellow Germans and fellow Christians to acknowledge their collective guilt and to make collective atonement. The meeting in Frankfurt was attended by about 40 of the leading "liberal" forces in Hesse. It was convened by Dr. Gottlob Bender, Minister of Denazification for Hesse. Mr. Zachariah Shuster of the American Jewish Committee happened to be in Frankfurt at the time and attended the Meeting. There were representatives of the Press, Radio and all of the recognized political parties. All of the speakers praised tolerance and good will but no one presented any practical program for combatting intolerance and bigotry. : General Clay, in one of our recent meetings, referred to the fact that he was expecting the National Conference of Christians and Jews to have a man spend full time In the Zone to help coordinate the efforts of Military Government to promote racial and religious cooperation and mutual understanding. '2, Restitution Law. ' '* - I am enclosing copy of letter sent to Eli Eock, counsel of the Joint Distribution Committee.? *' ; '. I am awaiting further word from Mason and from the Joint jfestribution Committee. After receiving cable from the Joint Distribution Committee and Jewish Agency for Palestine requesting me to ask General Clay to release Mr. Mason for the Restitution Commission, 1 spoke to Mason and he asked me to wait until he returned from his honeymoon. In the meantime, however, in the course of a conversation with Mr. Rockwell, legal adviser to General Clay, the question came up as to the propriety of one who had been actively engaged in drafting a law for the government becoming counsel for an agency engaged In presenting claims under such law. I, personally, thought that the question raised was a bit quixotic. The successor corporation is not a private litigant but rather a quasi-public agency. In a subsequent talk with General Clay, he confirmed my Impression and felt there could be no reasonable objection to Mason's association with the Restitution Commission. The General seems to be favorably impressed with Mason's ability and tact., Internal Partisan Conflicts Among DP's. One of the gravest problems I have had to deal with (and I am told by Major Hyraan that it may turn out to be the most critical situation that has arisen here) is the recent conflict between the Irgun and the Revisionists on the one hand, and the other Zionist parties on the other. Partisanship has even led in some cases to force and violence. I have done all In ay power to remedy this di»ease. We have had some deplorable incidents at Zeilsheim and Wezler and lindsheim. I have been promised by the leaders of the Revisionists and all of the other parties that they will try to control the situation* The tragedy in Innsbruck should prove a sobering influence. A. loumanlan Infiltration and Austrian Camps. ~, - - / * " :I met with General Keyes in Vienna on Monday, 17 November. We discussed his ca&les to Washington requesting authorization to move all DP's from Austria to Germany. He told me that what was contemplated was not merely the resettlement of Jewish DP's

4 I but ALL DF's. The final figures indicate that there are 26,000 Jewish United Kations BP's including the Roumanian Infiltrees, and 30,000 non-jewish DP 1 a. He indicated that in his opinion the chief obstacle to the negotiation of the Austrian Treaty is the DP problem. General Clay, with whom I discussed the matter yesterday herein Frankfurt, said that there were far more serious problems In the way of an Austriam*tiian the DP question and that as a matter of fact he, himself, had never heard of the DP problem i : as an-obstacle* General Keyes said that the DP's would have to go somewhere if our Army was to withdraw from Austria, and it would be much better t have an orderly resettlement to Germany now, rather than a chaotic, panicky movement later. General Clay intimated that there is no llkllhood of an early witfosaatwal of American troops from Austria., >:, I was assured by General Keyes that there Is no Intention of liquidating fegseheid. There had been disquieting rumors to this effect, and the Central Committee in Austria was very much disturbed about it. About B00 of the Jews in legscheid were being moved to Ebelsburgj this move was all to the good, provided the camp itself continues in existence. f. Newspaper for Central CQKoitte in Austria, * p y g a shortage of paper, that if permission were given to the Jewish DP's similar licenses would have to be given to the Poles and the other national groups, and that political and., partisan controversies might be provoted. Sometime «#* 1 succeeded in convincing General Balmer, in Vienna, that the Central Committee is entitled to have as a matter of right, a periodical presenting its views to the DP'sj that only the Jewish DP's had such a democratically elected agency as the Central Committee to act for them (the Poles and the other national groups have not)5 that the paper shortage in Germany is no less acute than in Austria, and yet our German Central Committee has a widely circulated periodical as do many of the parties among Jewish DP's. -., ' After General Balaer sent his recommendation down to the Zone in Salzburg, Colonel Linden again declined to issue the license. On Monday, in talking to General Keyes,! took it upon myself to appeal directly to him, I believe that the General afeg>ees with ay point of view, and that he will direct the Zone Command to issue the license. This should help in raising the prestige of the Central Committee and the morale of the'dp*a in Austria., Employment Board. A few days ago I attended the meeting of the Employment Board, recently created In Munich. It is made up of representatives of JlFP, CC and JDC. There are already some 2500 DP's engaged In the manufacture of clothing, shoes, ceramics, etc. Their goal is to have 5,000 by the end of next month. They have enough machines and raw material to provide work for that many men. The question arose as to whether there would be any possibility of exporting any of the manufactured products beyond those required for local needs i# the DP camps* I was asked to check with General Clay to ascertain whether there would be any objection or* the part of Military Government. I took the matter up with the General and he will consult with one of his eeonoijilc experts. H told me that on first-blush h could see no reason to object if the raw materials were not derived from the German economy and if the labor was all Jewish. le

5 asked who would reeeive the proceeds from the sale of the manufactured products, I told him that it was my impression that the JDC would finance the works program, would sell the products, and would devote the proceeds to further expansion of the productlvization plan. He appeared to be favorably impressed. I have called Mr. Haber of the JDC in Munich and related to him the substance of my conversation with General Clay. As I have frequently stated, it is Bay opinion that the most essential need at present is to create or increase employment opportunities for our DP's,?# BAstribwtion of Supplies in Kassel Irea. _. On a recent visit to Kassel, 1 met with the representatives of all of the DP' camps in that remote and infrequently visited area. 411 of the spokesmen complained bitterly about the quality as well as the quantity of the supplies distributed by JDC. I promised to take this natter up with representatives of the Central Gomsnittee and of the Joint Distribution Coamittee in Munich. I did so. I was assured that in the future, special consideration would be given on the basis of need in particular areas. This is a very essential reform. Hitherto, distribution was on a mechanical per capita basis, depending entirely upon the population of each camp. This was obviously unjust. Some of the camps in the Kassel aref having a mush larger proportion of sick and aged people than is found In the average camp. The physical conditions of some of the camps in the Kassel area are also deeidely sub-standard. " I am hopeful that the 16,000 Jews in the Kassel area will, in the future, be aecoefed fair consideration in the matter of distribution of supplies for 1 have been assured that representatives of the Central Committee and of the Joint Distribution Committee head office will visit the area in the near future, #». BP Detention Centers. General Clay Informed me that he is cabling the IRQ in Geneva urging it to assume care of the DP prisoners. If the IRO will persist in its refusal to provide maintenance for II* prisoners the Aray has no alternative but to liquidate the DP detention Centers and to turn over all the prisoners to the German prisons. General Clay did not feel that it would be wise to make any distinction between perseeutees and nc-k persecutees. He said that the Polish and Bait groups back home would protest and would regard such a distinction as unfair discrimination in favor of the Jews. He did, however, agree with my suggestion that if the Army was compelled to turn over the prisoners to the German penal system, they would be concentrated in one of two prisons so as to enable the Army to provide adequate supervision and control. f«hospital project. ' ' In on of ay earlier letters I think I referred to the fact that the Central Committee had proposed to General Clay that the DP's, out of their own contributions, would like to construct a hospital to be named in honor of General Clay. This was to b a& portable hospital so that it might be transported to Palestine when the mass movement from Germany to that country begins. The General replied that he would be interested to see the plans and speciflocations for such a hospital. He advised that instead of planning for one large hospital, of 1,000 beds it would, be preferable to think in terms of five units of 200 beds eaeib.. A few weeks ago the lentral Conmittee brought me completed plans and specifications prepared by a competent architecht. The project involves an expenditure of more than 5,500,00 Marls. In presenting the plans to General Clay I explained that the primary purposes of the Central Committee was to have hospital facilities in Palestine for the diseased and hospitalized DP's. I explained that no country other than Palestine would

6 admit sick Immigrants and that if Mestine is expected to absorb the infirm Jewish DP'a, facilities should be provided for their hospltalization and medical treatment. I contended that an exception should be made by Military Government and permission should be granted to export the building material and hospital equipment from Germany to Palestine. I pointed out that if this is not done, the German economy would bear the burden of providing care and treatment for Infirm Jewish Df»s for the balance of their lives..? This argument seemed to make a favorable impression. I have just heard this morning from Ir. Robert L. Henry, Chief of building materials and construction in Berlin, and I have* an appointment to discuss the matter with him in greater detail next Sunday. 1» U.S. Imiaigratlon Problems and the Stratton Bill, v»- "* ;;' '.. '...,. '. Having received numerous complaints of unfair treatment from consular offices in the American Zone, 1 invited Mr. Ugo Cartasi to y office. I submitted to him such evidence as I had obtained and I have been assured by him that he will personally look into the aatter, Mr. Carusi is doing an admirable job (in accordance with instructions from President Truman) in seeing how the immigration service may be improved. He informed me that in his opinion the prospects for the passage of the Stratton Bill in the near -future are qixlt# good and he is now engaged in planning for the smooth, speedy imple- Mentation of the law, if and when adopted. ' I am still waiting to learn whoraysuccessor is to be and when he is likely to arrive. I should lusi^to *$*ind some time with him before I leave. I must return to my Bench, as I think I have already written you, by the end of December, and it Is unsafe to rely on air flight. I my, therefore, have to leave on an ocean transport no later than 20 December. ' Pleas cable me who has been recommended as my successor and when I Bay expect him to arrive. With kindest personal regards, I remain Faithfully yours, Incl (1) copy of letter to Ell Rock Signed Louii E. Levinthai -\m. LOUIS E. LEVTNIHAL Adviser on Jewish Affairs

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