abu_rashid
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Curtin had already made up his mind that there would be no such settlement, but that did not deter the ACTU from continuing to press the government. Then on March 31, 1943, when Edward James Holloway was a senior minister in the Curtin Government, he wrote in his personal capacity to Ernest Bevin, then Minister for Labour in the British Cabinet, saying: 'Dr Steinberg's mission to Australia was to establish a Jewish settlement in the unoccupied north-west. The proposed settlement was to be on the lines of the splendid agricultural settlement in Palestine. The Federal Government were giving favourable consideration to the proposal when the war put all projects, other than war, aside.' I am not so sure that the Menzies or Fadden governments ever gave any favourable consideration to the proposition.
Steinberg left Australia in June, 1943, and two months later he wrote to Curtin from Toronto, Canada, urging him to take a personal initiative in hastening his government's decision on the scheme. In the course of his letter, Steinberg said: 'I hope you will not mind if I permit myself to address you this time in a private, informal way. There are some problems concerning the most intimate needs of people that should be considered not as mere political or economic questions but as problems of our common social and moral conscience. It seems, then, that the best way to discuss them is not on the political field, but if possible, from man to man.' Steinberg said that the happiest part of his experience in Australia had been the expressions of sympathy and support he received from members of the Labor Party.
Curtin replied to Steinberg: 'The Commonwealth Government sympathizes with the serious plight of your people in Europe. It will be appreciated, however, that the whole question of immigration into Australia, particularly having regard to the conditions that will exist at the conclusion of hostilities, is one that requires to be fully explored from all aspects. Plans are at present in progress to set up a committee to study various phases of general problems and until recommendations are made by that body, the government is not in a position to formulate a definite policy.'
I was present, as Minister for Information, at a subsequent Cabinet meeting when Curtin appointed an inter-departmental committee to study immigration problems. The committee later opposed the Kimberleys project, and Curtin wrote to Steinberg: 'After mature consideration of all the circumstances ... the government is unable to see its way to depart from the long-established policy in regard to alien settlement in Australia.' Therefore, he said, the government could not entertain 'the proposal for a group settlement of the exclusive type contemplated by the Freeland League.'
However, the ACTU and church leaders continued to support the scheme, and nothing daunted, Steinberg appeared at the first United Nations conference in San Francisco in May, 1945, and took the opportunity to raise the pressing problem of Jewish homelessness before world opinion. He submitted a memorandum to all the delegations at the conference, and he specifically made contact with the leader of the Australian delegation, Mr Frank Forde, who was then Deputy Prime Minister. Forde assured Steinberg that he would discuss the matter fully and favorably with Prime Minister Curtin when he arrived back in Australia. Two months later, Curtin died and Forde succeeded him as Prime Minister for seven days. Forde then wrote to the Freeland League as Prime Minister: 'With reference to your personal representation to me in San Francisco for reconsideration of the government's decision against allowing a Jewish settlement to be established in the Kimberleys district or in some other undeveloped part of Australia, I desire to inform you that further careful consideration has been given to the matter. It has been decided, however, to adhere to the decision previously conveyed to you.'
Mr Chifley was elected Prime Minister in succession to Mr Forde, and Dr Steinberg continued to pursue his fruitless campaign by writing to Chifley while he was in London in April, 1946. Chifley delayed his reply until he returned to Australia. He then wrote: 'Your representations have received full consideration. The Commonwealth Government, however, is unable to see its way to vary its decision concerning this matter. I may add, that as a post-war contribution to the settlement of the problem of finding homes for Jewish refugees, the Commonwealth has issued landing permits since the cessation of hostilities in Europe, in favour of close relatives of Jewish people already settled in Australia.' As Minister for Immigration, I helped Mr Chifley prepare that letter and, as I have explained in another chapter, we did much, much more for the Jewish people who had survived the terrible trials and tribulations they suffered in Europe, than any other country did proportionately. As it turned out, our scheme was a far better one than that propounded by the Freeland League. I think we should all be happy that the Freeland scheme never got off the ground.
TBC...
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