Roman Slobodin, Publicity Director
NATIONAL REFUGEE SERVICE,
105 Nassau Street, New York 7, N
Telephone COrtlandt 7-2430
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DISPERSAL 07 OSWEGO REFUGEES THROUGHOUT COUNTRY
IS STARTED BY NATIONAL REFUGEE SERVICE
Government Authorizes Agency's Corporate Affidavit for Visas"
National Council of Jewish Women and Local Committees
Cooperate in Resettlement Program
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The f i r s t steps for the dispersal of the 900 refugees in the Government's
Emergency Shelter a t Oswego, N. Y. and t h e i r resettlement throughout the country
as quota immigrants were announced today by Joseph E. Beck, Executive Director of
the National Refugee Service,
The e n t i r e resettlement program i s the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of NRS, Mr. Beck
pointed o u t .
The agency, as p r i n c i p a l organization for a s s i s t a n c e to refugees in
the United S t a t e s , has been authorized by the Government to i s s u e a corporate a f f i davit as the b a s i s for v i s a a p p l i c a t i o n s by the Oswego refugees, he disclosed*
This was done in order to f a c i l i t a t e the process of issuing visas to those who
qualify for permanent immigrant s t a t u s ,
A team of 20 professional and c l e r i c a l workers from the s t a f f s of the NR3
OAd the National Council nf Jewish Women w i l l go to 03wego on Sunday (January 5,
1945) to a s s i s t the refugees in immigration procedure and to prepare them for r e settlement.
As quickly as possible they w i l l be moved out i n d i v i d u a l l y and in
family groups to s e t t l e in communities from coast to c o a s t .
"Preparations for resettlement of the group were made long in advance by
NRS, which got i n touch with t h e i r American r e l a t i v e s and friends and with i t s c o operating committees i n many c i t i e s and towns a l l over the country. Many l o c a l comm i t t e e s , Mr»Beck said, have already agreed to accept small groups for resettlement
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in their communities, to find quarters for them with kinsmen or friends without
complicating housing problems, and to aid in their economic and social adjustment
to American life.
Those, refugees who do not have American relatives or friends
will be resettled in the larger communities with local cooperation, Mr. Beck
added.
The National Council of Jewish Women, in addition to providing members
of its staff for the task at Oswego, is collaborating in the adjustment program
in the communities through its local sections.
Completion of the immigration formalities and dispersal of the Oswego
group is expected to take several weeks, Mr. Beck said*
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