Fraternity-Testvériség, 1958 (36. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)

1958-05-01 / 5. szám

FRATERNITY

5

THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE’S PROGRAM FOR PLACEMENT OF HUNGARIAN SCIENTISTS

By Edmund C. Rowan*

Assistant Director, Office of International Relations

(Reprinted from “News Report”, Volume VIII, Number 1, 1958)

The recent announcement of the termination of the “parolee” program for Hungarian refugees (except for the first 6,500 admitted, the Hungarian refugees, being neither visitors nor permanent resident aliens, entered the United States on parole — this anomalous status will remain until adjusted by an Act of Congress) comes slightly more than one year after the dramatic fight by the Hungarian people for freedom in their own country. Following the heroic revolution of October 1956, some 200,000 Hungarians were obliged to flee Hungary because of their activities in behalf of freedom and aspirations for a better life. Approximately 38,000 of these people have come to the United States in the hope of establishing new lives in an atmosphere of freedom from fear.

The termination of the parolee program marks a turning point in the Academy’s activities in behalf of Hungarian scientists and gives us the opportunity to examine the achievements of the past year, to establish certain conclusions as a result of our experience, and to make possible suggestions for the future.

It may be recalled that in November 1956, the National Academy of Sciences formally resolved to accord assistance to its Hungarian colleagues who might come to the United States, recognizing this as the minimum assistance due those who risked their lives in behalf of the fundamental principles of freedom. In an earlier article in “News Report” (see Vol. VII, No. 3, pp. 33-40, 1957), Dr. Wallace W. Atwood, Jr., and Dr. M. H. Trytten, the Co-Directors of the program, described the Academy’s program at Camp Kilmer and in Vienna and the results obtained during the first six months of operation.

By May 1, 1957, when Camp Kilmer was closed and President Eisenhower’s Committee for Hungarian Refugee Relief was de-activated, the majority of the 38,000 refugees destined to come to the United States had already arrived and been resettled. However, refugees continued to arrive at the new reception center in the Hotel St. George, Brooklyn, N. Y. Although fewer in number, the flow remained significant and contained a relatively high proportion of people with talents in the

* Mr. Rowan is Assistant Director of the Academy’s program for Hungarian refugee scientists. He opened the Academy’s office at Camp Kilmer on December 19, 1956, and initially was in charge of the office at Hotel St. George in Brooklyn, N. Y.