Evian Conference on Refugees

Evian Conference on Refugees 

With voiceover. EXT, buildings and homes overlooking Lake Geneva. Architecture of the Hotel Royal, the conference center for the committee. CU, Myron C. Taylor, the spokesman for the United States and the initial president of the committee, walking with a group of men including James McDonald (seen clearly at 06:57:58 - the tall man with white hair). French senator Henry Béringer and Great Britain’s Lord Winterton outside the Hotel Royal. Pan around the large conference room and delegates. Taylor addresses the committee members. 

The Evian Conference took place from July 6-15, 1938. Delegates from 32 countries and representatives from relief organizations met in Evian-les-Bains, a spa town in France, to discuss the German-Jewish refugees. The United States encouraged all countries to find a long-term solution to the problem. However, the United States and other countries were unwilling to ease their immigration restrictions. Most countries feared that an increase of refugees would cause further economic hardships. With the exception of the tiny Dominican Republic, no country was willing to accept more refugees. One result of the conference was the establishment of the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees (ICR), which would continue to work on the refugee problem. 

Most likely from the Hearst Metrotone News of the Day program, Volume 9, No. 289, released on July 13, 1938. Rights belong to UCLA Film and Television Archive under Inventory Number VA8259 M. JEA order #1666.4-W.