ID cards for Jews

The German Government passed a measure yesterday requiring all Jews to carry Identification cards. This comes after Jewish doctors were forbidden to practice medicine on non-Jews.

Évian Conference Concludes

After nine days, the Évian Conference wraps up in southeastern France. No resolution was passed. There was a great deal of official statements of sympathy by nations for the stateless Jews.

Most of attending nations were reluctant to shoulder the burden of the Jewish refugees.

The Caribbean island nation of the Dominican Republic did offer safe harbor to the refugees. The so-called Sosua Project would have 100,000 Jews settling in the Dominican Republic with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee paying the nation millions of dollars. Costa Rica is also offering the same resolution.

The American delegate noted that the United States has immigration quotas and would be making the German and Austrian quotas fully available. France also claimed it had met "the extreme point of saturation as regards admission of refugees."

The British delegation did not remind the conference attendees of its Palestinian mandate where Jewish settlements have been forming for decades. This may, in fact, have been intentional since there were even Jewish observers from Palestine at the conference such as Mrs. Golda Meyerson. Mrs. Meyerson is Ukrainian-born Jew who was reared and educated in the United States before emigrating to Palestine. She remarked to the press after conference ended, "There is only one thing I hope to see before I die and that is that my people should not need expressions of sympathy anymore."

An Australian delegate even noted "as we [Australia] have no real racial problem, we are not desirous of importing one."

Yesterday, a Nazi newspaper published an article with a headline stating “JEWS FOR SALE AT A BARGAIN PRICE--WHO WANTS THEM? NO ONE.”

France makes decrees

Whilst the Conference proceeds in Évian, the French Prime Minister has made some announcements in the past two days. First, Prime Minister Édouard Daladier was given the authority to govern by decree in the event of war. This is much like martial law and does not leave the people a representative voice in the creation or implementation of laws.

Second, Monsieur Daladier declared that France is recommitting itself to Czechoslovakian independence. This continues the line that France and Britain have maintained since demands from Hitler have come down for possession of the Sudetenland in April.

Secretary Hull meets with German Ambassador Hans-Heinrich Dieckhoff

Today, US Secretary of State Cordell Hull talked with the German Ambassador Hans-Heinrich Dieckhoff about the European situation. He told the Ambassador that this Government had been earnestly hoping that the German Government would reach a stage where it would decide to support the program of peace and orderly progress which the United States had been striving to keep alive and to advance.

The Secretary said that there was only one alternative course: the course of force, militarism, and territorial aggression with all the accompanying hurtful and destructive practices.

Conference on Jewish Refugees

US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called for a conference to decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of stateless Jews from Central Europe. And that's what he's getting.

Representatives from thirty-two nations and twenty-four volunteer organizations are gathering today in Évian-les-Bains, France. Here on the western banks of Lake Geneva and in the picturesque Rhône-Alpes area of southeastern France, these delegates will discuss a solution to the refugees coming out of central Europe.

In the past few years, laws have been passed down in Germany that have made Jews in that country stateless. With other oppressive laws taking business and property from German Jews, many have left the nation looking elsewhere for hope and prosperity.

Austria takes Jews into custody

Earlier today, the Austrian officials took 40,000 or so Jews in protective custody. It is unknown what protective custody means, the ages or gender of the people arrested or where Austria intends to place the Jews.

State of United States Forces

Yesterday, Secretary of War Harry Woodring was able to report encouraging improvements in the military establishment. He declared, however, that there were still deficiencies in organization, equipment, and personnel that required correction. The Chief of Staff of the Army, General Malin Craig, pointed out at the same time that the Regular Army ranked only eighteenth among the standing armies of the world.

Guerillas in the Fields

After marching from Qingdao (Tsingtao), Japanese forces finally reached the Huang (Yellow) River. Mobile Chinese forces limited Japanese control to the railway zone. Despite their military superiority, the Japanese discovered that they could capture major Chinese urban centers, but that Chinese guerillas controlled the rural areas. As a result, Chinese troops were able to conduct successful operations against the Japanese during the Spring of 1938.

Sinti & Roma elements in Germany & Austria

For the past three days, the German and Austrian authorities have been gathering up members of the Sinti and Roma groups. Sinti and Roma are Gypsies and are found living in almost every nation is Europe. Both groups have lived in Germany since the 15th Century.

The German Government took many rights from the Gypsies with "Protection of Blood and Honour" law passed in 1935. This law strips many non-Aryan groups in Germany and, since Anschluss earlier this year, Austria, of civic rights.

Gypsies have historically been nomadic groups all over Europe. The areas of largest populations are in Central and Eastern Europe. Some have countered that the Gypsies are also Aryan, the supposed race of German people.

Dr. Hans F. K. Günther of the University of Berlin has written on the subject in his 1927 book The Racial Elements of European History. Within its pages he discusses Gypsy Aryan origins that corruptions that have occurred dur to breeding with lower classes. All of this is of course the writings of German racialism and has not been wholly substantiated by other learned men.

Other authorities have noted the asocialism and community hygiene problems that the Gypsies present to the Nazi Government.

Many Gypsies have historically been distrusted due to their refusal to live sedentary lifestyles. Gypsies live a nomadic pattern using their skills in crafts and performance to earn money for food. Gypsies are often referred to as criminals, deceivers and thieves.

It is unclear where the Gypsies are going in this relocation.

Japanese land at Anqing

Today, the Japanese landed Naval forces on the Coast at Anqing. The Chinese 11th Army is nearby. More information as it happens.

Flooding of the Yellow River

Reports have been received that the Yellow River (Huang River) near Huayuankou. In the early morning hours of June 9th, local time, many of the local Chinese were caught unawares. The number of dead, missing and injured are unknown at this time. There has been considerable flooding in the area in the past eight years. The local populations are difficult to ascertain as records of the residents have not been effectively kept.

This flood is certainly coming at a bad time for the Japanese. This will impede their efforts at taking control of China.

Latvia and Estonia sign pact with Germany

Germany signed a pact promising non-aggression with the two Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia. The two nations would likely have presented little to no concern to Germany. This is more of a relief to the tiny poor Baltic nations. It is clear to many that a war in Europe is coming but it will not be Germany that brings it to Latvia and Estonia.

Famed Psychologist leaves Austria

Psychoanalyst and Neurologist Siegmund Freud arrived in Paris today via the Orient Express. He left his home in Vienna and Nazi Austria. Dr. Freud and his family including daughter Anna are likely to proceed on to London and establish their home there.

Hungary limits Jewish economics

Hungary, a country that less than twenty years ago, was united with Austria as an Empire, has passed a new law against Jews. Yesterday, a law reduced the amount Jews could contribute to the economy is 20%. This law meets with much skepticism amongst the International Community. It isn't apparent how Hungary's government plans to implement such a measure against its Jewry.

Hitler announces that he will take Czechoslovakia

Hitler has announced that he will "smash Czechoslovakia" before October 1st. It is unclear what the League of Nations will do in response, if anything can be done. Great Britain and France have not responded to Hitler's latest declaration.

Japan arrests Communists

It has been reported that 1300 alleged Communists have been arrested. Japan is appears hopes to rein in any oppositional political parties as its war with mainland Asia increases.

Germany increases building

In response to the messages from Great Britain and France concerning Czechoslovakia, Hitler has ordered for increase in Naval Ship building beyond the Internationally imposed limits. It also appears that Hitler is now even more certain of the course of action he feels Germany must make to protect its Eastern flank from attack.

Nuremberg Laws in effect in Austria

Germany's Nurembeg Laws went into effect yesterday. This means Jews will not have citizenship under Germany and marriages between Jews and non-Jews are voided.

Of particular interest in Austria, any books written by Jews are going to be removed, likely destroyed. In addition, any anti-Nazi literature is meeting the same fate.

Czechoslovakia stirs

Czechoslovakia continues to feel the pressure of its over 3 million Germans clamor for union with Germany. The Sudetenland has become a contentious territory in the western portion of the country. Adolf Hitler of Germany has demanded that the Sudetenland be handed over to Germany.

In reponse, Great Britain and France have rejected these demands. Germany has begun to build up its military installations along its shared border with Czechoslovakia. This apparent aggression has alarmed many with the Chezhoslovakian government. They are now mobilizing in an effort for defense should that need arise.

US Congress votes for rearmament

Despite the amount of time it took for the United States to join in the Great War and its isolationist politics, the Congress has voted to begin rearmament. Navies are particularly slow to build up and the legislature gave its authorization to the Navy to begin expansion.