The Jewish Trail of Tears The Evian Conference of ... - Haruth.com

Jews in Germany and the excesses of Soviet Communism and re-directed towards
domestic prejudice. “If America would realize the situation as it is over here and forget
Europe, we, the colored people, would receive some justice.” 51
Foreign popular reaction was as mixed as the American to the announcement,
planning and course of the Evian Conference. Jews, to some, were the innocent sufferers
of “barbarous persecution and attacks” resulting from a “biological war of
extermination.” 52 Jews who were forcibly returned to the Reich faced a “death
sentence.” 53
Emile Borel contended that if a workable solution was unobtainable with
Germany then the democratic nations must remain true to the tenets of the Declaration of
the Rights of Man and adopt a consistent approach and equitable cost sharing that would
lead to a solution of the refugee dilemma. 54 George Bidault argued that the “enlightened
nations” must provide assistance to the Jewish and non-Aryan refugees or risk
dishonoring French principle, pride and the Christian ethic. 55
Swedish diplomat Olof
Lamm called upon the United States to admit one hundred thousand Jewish refugees
immediately “so that we can catch the refugees alive.” 56 The Times of London noted three
51 Letters to the Editor, “Attention, Uncle Sam,” The Afro-American, July 23, 1938, 4.
52 De Volksgazet (Brussels), July 7, 1938 cited in Katz, “Public Opinion,” 112.
53 Le Progès July 11, 1938. Ibid.
54 La Depêche, Toulouse, July 7, 1938. Ibid.
55 L’Aube, Paris, July 8, 1938. Ibid.
56 Olof Lamm to Hendrik Van Loon, November 1, 1938, cited in Gurlock, America, American Jews, 242.
Félix Edouard Justin Emile Borel (January 7, 1871-February 3, 1956) was a mathematician and later a
Republican-Socialist politician who served in the Chamber of Deputies and was later active in the French
Resistance. George Bidault (b. 1899) aided the establishment of the left-wing newspaper L’Aube that was
anti-Fascist and protested against anti-Semitism. He was opposed to the Munich Agreement, active in the
Resistance, served as Foreign Minister under the De Gaulle Provisional Government and later held the post
of Prime Minister.
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