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

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located in the spa town <strong>of</strong> <strong>Evian</strong>-Les-Bains, “the gayest resort town” lying on the French<br />

shore <strong>of</strong> Lake Geneva, as the conference site. 52<br />

<strong>The</strong> locale was described as a “pretty<br />

place, quiet and old-fashioned; its waters and baths have a high repute; its hotels are<br />

among the best in France, and its summer climate is perfect… [I]ts greatest attraction is<br />

the enchanting country with which it is surrounded.” 53<br />

Secretary <strong>of</strong> State Cordell Hull stated, in his proposed agenda submitted to<br />

foreign governments and refugee organizations, that humanitarian concerns required<br />

“speedy cooperation if widespread suffering is to be averted.” 54 <strong>The</strong> two major<br />

provisions <strong>of</strong> the American invitation had, as noted earlier, specified that the cost <strong>of</strong><br />

resettlement would be borne by “private organizations” and “no country would be<br />

expected or asked to receive a greater number <strong>of</strong> immigrants than is permitted by its<br />

existing legislation.” 55 <strong>The</strong> focus <strong>of</strong> the proposed Committee’s work would be the<br />

resettlement <strong>of</strong> the “most urgent cases” as allowed by the “regulations <strong>of</strong> the receiving<br />

countries…” Each government was expected to provide “strictly confidential”<br />

52 “Non-League Body Favored by U.S. to Handle All Refugee Problems,” Montreal Gazette, July 6,<br />

1938, 1. Joseph Paul-Boncour (August 4, 1873-March 28, 1972) served as Premier from December 18,<br />

1932-January 28, 1933, the French Permanent Delegate to the League from 1932-1936 and as Foreign<br />

Minister in several cabinets including Leon Blum and Daladier. He later represented France at the San<br />

Francisco <strong>Conference</strong> on the United Nations and signed its Charter in 1945.<br />

53 Sir Frederick Treves, <strong>The</strong> Lake <strong>of</strong> Geneva (London: Cassell and Company, LTD, 1922), 88.<br />

54 <strong>The</strong> conference would be held between July 6-15, 1938 but needed to end prior to the state visit <strong>of</strong> the<br />

King and Queen <strong>of</strong> England to France; Tampa Tribune, March 25, 1938, 1, 9. Cordell Hull (October 2,<br />

1871-July 23, 1955) was the longest serving Secretary <strong>of</strong> State (1933-1944) and received the Nobel Peace<br />

Prize in 1945, acknowledging his efforts in the founding <strong>of</strong> the United Nations. He had served 11 terms in<br />

the House <strong>of</strong> Representatives 1907-1921 and 1923-1931).<br />

55 Department <strong>of</strong> State, Press Releases, XVIII, March 26, 1938. <strong>The</strong> financial resources <strong>of</strong> <strong>Jewish</strong><br />

refugee relief organizations were already stretched to the limit by the time <strong>of</strong> the Anschluss. It has been<br />

estimated that $50,000,000 had been expended between 1933-1938 for the support and maintenance <strong>of</strong><br />

refugees. Thus, the pecuniary burden placed upon private non-governmental organizations created a major<br />

impediment to the success <strong>of</strong> any plan <strong>of</strong> resettlement adopted by the <strong>Evian</strong> <strong>Conference</strong>. Adler-Rudel, “<strong>The</strong><br />

<strong>Evian</strong> <strong>Conference</strong>,” 241.<br />

75

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