867N.55/219: Telegram
The Consul General at Jerusalem ( Wadsworth ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 31—10:55 p.m.]
188. A notice issued December 26th under the Palestine Immigration Ordinance announces that no immigration quota will be prescribed for the current semester ending March 31st next. It then gives information regarding immigration under the preceding semester’s quota and for the entire period from April 1, 1939, to September 30, 1940, during which the British White Paper policy of May 1939 has been enforced.
Against 9,400 authorities issued during the [apparent omission] semester only 1,300 persons were able to immigrate. The unused authorities have been extended to March 31 next, after which replacement certificates may be granted “in strictly limited number” only and where admission “will be to the clear advantage of the country”.
Against the 75,000 certified to be issued over 5 years, 19,600 authorities were granted; but 28,800 arrivals were recorded. Of the latter some 12,300 were legal immigrants and 16,500 recorded illegal immigrants.
The last figure does not include the 1800 survivors from the steamship Patria referred to in recent telegrams nor to an unspecified smaller number of other illegal immigrants permitted to remain during the current semester, all of whom “will be deducted from the next quota”.
If these latter be added to the 28,800 recorded arrivals and it be assumed that the approximately 8,000 outstanding authorities are all utilized, there will remain some 37,000 certificates to be issued during the balance of the White Paper 5-year period.
The controlling reasons for not prescribing a current quota are stated to be circumstances of international travel, difficulty of transferring new capital, restricted opportunities for investment and unemployment. December 31, 10 a.m.