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1 Fridtjof Nansen, Russian Refugees 1 (1923)

handle is hein.unl/rsnrfg0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Extract No 19, from the Obicial Journal. (C. 473. 1923.) LEAGUE OF NATIONS RUSSIAN REFUGEES REPORT BY Dr. NANSEN I have the honour to submit for the information of the Council the following report on the work accomplished by the High Commissariat on behalf of the Russian Refugees since the last session of the Council. 1. Identify Certificates for Refugees. I am very glad to be able to report exceedingly good progress in the arrangements for the issue of identity certificates to Russian refugees in various countries. Almost all the Members of the League interested in the question have adopted the identity certificate system, and the German Government, which at present affords hospitality to some hundreds of thousands of refugees, has also adhered to the system. The great advantages to the refugees of possessing these documents are too many and too obvious to need emphasis in this report, and a detailed Memorandum (C. L. 12) on the subject has already been circulated for the information of the States Members. I am happy to announce that, since the issue of this statement, the Governments of Poland, Albania, Denmark, Luxemburg, Japan and Mexico have formally adhered to the arrangement, or adopted it in principle, and Hungary has also notified me unofficially of her proposed adhesion. China, which is very closely concerned in the refugee question, has not yet adopted the system, and I make a special appeal to the Chinese representative on the Council. I very much hope that his Government's adhesion will not be long delayed. As a result of representations made by the High Commissariat to the British, French and Italian Delegations at the Lausanne Conference, Signor Mondana obtained a verbal promise from the Turkish Delegation that its Government would deliver identity certificates to the refugees. remaining in Constantinople, on the model recommended by the Geneva Conference. This promise has since been confirmed verbally to my representative in Constan- tinople, who is now endeavouring to bring the matter to a satisfactory formal conclusion. 2. Situation of Russian Refugee Children in various Countries. The High Commissariat has continued to mainain a particular interest in the welfare of these unfortunate children, not only because the interests of children make a special appeal to all, but particularly because of the exceedingly unhappy situation of the Russian refugee children. A special effort has been made on behalf of the Russian refugee children who were in Constantinople because of the urgent necessity of evacuating all the refugees possible from that city, and I venture to think that, on the whole, our efforts in this direction have met with a moderate amount of success. The transfer to Belgium of the Bebek Orphanage and the St.- George Institute has been effected with our assistance, and a grant has been made to the former orphanage to enable it to be established in that country. The transfer has further been secured of considerable groups of children to France, where arrangements for their adoption and welfare have been undertaken by the Placement familial and other responsible French organisations. In addition, some hundreds of children transferred from Constantinople to Bulgaria have been maintained and educated from funds made available by the Bulgarian Government and the High Commissariat. These funds are now practically exhausted and the future of these children therefore becomes in the highest degree critical. It is estimated that there are approximately 11(0,00) Russian refugee children in Eufrope, a large proportion of whom are totally unprovided for. 3. Situation of Russian Refuyee invalids in various Countries. It is not necessary for me to emphasise the deplorable situation of these unfortunate people and the great claim they have on the symiipathy of the relief organisations and on the benevolent attitude of the public in general. The High Comnissariat has arranged for the transfer of upwards of 800 invalids from Constantinople and Egypt toBulgaria, where grants have been made to the Russian Red Cross for their uaintenance. In addition, 693 invalids, S. d. N. I00 (F) + 500 (A) 7,23. Imp. d'Ambilyv.

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