The Tragedy of the Jews
A moving discussion in the House of Commons last week reflected the eager, universal desiie to translate the cry of horror which has gone up from the United Nations over the Nazis' avowed policy of exterminating the Jews into some form of practical action. But what action? The writ of the United Nations does not yet run in the territories where Himmler's gangs are dragging Jews off to the internment camp and the slaughter-house. Mr. Eden read the declaration of the United Nations, reaffirming their resolution to punish the criminals, and said that arrangements had been made to broadcast it as widely as possible in the hope that it would have some deterrent effect. Broadcasts explaining the horror of the out- side world, appealing to the charity of those in occupied territories who can help, and declaring the fixed resolve to seek out the guilty, should be repeated again and again. For the rest it is doubtful if anything more can be done except for refugees who may succeed in escaping from territory held by the enemy, for whom some asylum must be found. For example, there are some 4,000 to 5,00o Jewish refugees in Spain and Portugal on whose behalf General Sir Neill Malcolm has made an appeal in the Times. Mr. Eden, speaking of the refugee problem as a whole, did well to recall the immense geographical and other difficulties which make it so diffi- cult to find an asylum for all. This is not a problem to be solved by facile gestures. We cannot help Jews whom we cannot reach.
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