Press Release, Special Message from President Harry S. Truman to the Congress of the United States

3180 HOLD FOR HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE MARCH 24, 1952 CONFIDENTIAL To be held in STRICT CONFIDENCE and no portion, synopsis or intimation to be given out or published until the 42. READING of the President' Message has begun in either the Senate or House of Representatives. Extreme there- - fore be exercised to premature publication. doul SHORT to theyPresident TO THE CONGRESS OF bluoo One of the gravest problems arising present To world crisis is created by the overpopulation in parts of Western Curope, aggravated by the flight and expulsion of people from the oppressed countries of Eastern Europe. This problem is of great practical importance to us be- cause it affects the peace and security of the free world. It is also of great concern to us, because of our ong-established humanitarian traditions. The Congress has recognized the impor- tance of this problem and has already enacted some legislation to help meet it. I ask the Congress to give early and favorable consideration to additional legislation to'make more adequate vision for meeting this situation. Specifically, I ask the Congress to authorize a program that will: (1) Provide aid for the unfortunate victims of oppression who are escaping from communist tyranny behind the Iron Curtain! (2) Continue our participation in the international effort now being made to assist in the migration and resettlement throughout the world of a substantial number of persons from overpopulated areas of Western Europe, and (3) Authorize additional immigration into this country, on'a limited basis, to aid in alleviating the problems created by communist tyranny and overpopulatio: in Western Europe. deb The solution to these problems cannot, and should not, be the responsibility of any one nation. It is an international re- sponsibility -- an integral part of the world crisis which the free nations must meet together. It demands the cooperative efforts of all Pinterestedicountriés, Buts. real solution can be found only if theoUnited States its part. We have done our part in the past we must not falter 64 World War II left in its wakeba tremendous uphoaval of populations in the countries of Europe. To meet the situation, and this country took the lead in establishing the International Refugee Organization, which provided care and protection for displaced persons and made possible the migration of more than one million of them to 48 countries throughout the free world. As our own contribution to the common effort, the Congress in 1948 enacted the Displaced Persons Act and subsequently amended and extended it. Both the Congress and the American people have every right to be proud of the achievements made under this far- sighted hunanitarian to The Displaced Persons Act is now approaching the termina- tion date fixed by the Congress. When operations under this law have been finished, almost 400,0 victims of tyranny will have been resettled in the United States. The first major phase of the (OVER)