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

quotas were to be avoided and the internal affairs of States continued to be regarded as
sacrosanct. Direct assistance to the involuntary exiles was to remain solely within the
“province of the private organizations.” 32
The United Kingdom favored an international
solution to the refugee crisis but disavowed the acceptance of any further obligations for
the support and resettlement of refugees. 33 Moreover, the functions of the High
Commission were to be restricted to “existing, not…potential refugees.” Otherwise,
greater numbers of Jews would be emboldened to leave Germany for other lands. 34
Sir Neill Malcolm proved to be less intimately involved with refugee matters than
had been his predecessor, McDonald. He was primarily concerned with issues of “legal
and political protection, on which he…effectively intervened with governments.” 35
Norman Bentwich, the Secretary of the Liaison Committee between private organizations
and the High Commission, was unimpressed with Malcolm’s abilities and
accomplishments. The High Commissioner was “devoid of initiatives and ideas
[thinking] exclusively in terms of formalities and meetings.” His reports to the League
were a “sad confession of inactivity.” 36 He did personally intervene, however, in the
rescue of approximately five thousand refugees by 1938. 37
Sir Neill declined financial
32 Sir Neill Malcolm, Refugees Coming From Germany: Report submitted to the Seventeenth Ordinary
Session of the Assembly of the League of Nations, A.19.1936.XII. September 1, 1936 cited in E. Reut-
Nicolussi et al, Recueil des cours, vol. 73 (The Hague, The Netherlands: Académie de Droit International
de la Haye, 1948), 39.
33 Orchard, “A Right to Leave,” 191.
34 British Foreign Office Memorandum on Report of Committee on International Assistance to Refugees.
January 16, 1938, PRO FO 371 W445-172-98 cited in Orchard, “A Right to Leave,” 192.
35 Simpson, Refugee Problem, 216-218.
36 Stewart, United States Government Policy, 232.
37 Orchard, “The Right to Leave,” 193.
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