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

located in the spa town of Evian-Les-Bains, “the gayest resort town” lying on the French
shore of Lake Geneva, as the conference site. 52
The locale was described as a “pretty
place, quiet and old-fashioned; its waters and baths have a high repute; its hotels are
among the best in France, and its summer climate is perfect… [I]ts greatest attraction is
the enchanting country with which it is surrounded.” 53
Secretary of State Cordell Hull stated, in his proposed agenda submitted to
foreign governments and refugee organizations, that humanitarian concerns required
“speedy cooperation if widespread suffering is to be averted.” 54 The two major
provisions of the American invitation had, as noted earlier, specified that the cost of
resettlement would be borne by “private organizations” and “no country would be
expected or asked to receive a greater number of immigrants than is permitted by its
existing legislation.” 55 The focus of the proposed Committee’s work would be the
resettlement of the “most urgent cases” as allowed by the “regulations of the receiving
countries…” Each government was expected to provide “strictly confidential”
52 “Non-League Body Favored by U.S. to Handle All Refugee Problems,” Montreal Gazette, July 6,
1938, 1. Joseph Paul-Boncour (August 4, 1873-March 28, 1972) served as Premier from December 18,
1932-January 28, 1933, the French Permanent Delegate to the League from 1932-1936 and as Foreign
Minister in several cabinets including Leon Blum and Daladier. He later represented France at the San
Francisco Conference on the United Nations and signed its Charter in 1945.
53 Sir Frederick Treves, The Lake of Geneva (London: Cassell and Company, LTD, 1922), 88.
54 The conference would be held between July 6-15, 1938 but needed to end prior to the state visit of the
King and Queen of England to France; Tampa Tribune, March 25, 1938, 1, 9. Cordell Hull (October 2,
1871-July 23, 1955) was the longest serving Secretary of State (1933-1944) and received the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1945, acknowledging his efforts in the founding of the United Nations. He had served 11 terms in
the House of Representatives 1907-1921 and 1923-1931).
55 Department of State, Press Releases, XVIII, March 26, 1938. The financial resources of Jewish
refugee relief organizations were already stretched to the limit by the time of the Anschluss. It has been
estimated that $50,000,000 had been expended between 1933-1938 for the support and maintenance of
refugees. Thus, the pecuniary burden placed upon private non-governmental organizations created a major
impediment to the success of any plan of resettlement adopted by the Evian Conference. Adler-Rudel, “The
Evian Conference,” 241.
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