Robitscher, an alien. The bill would grant the alien permanent residence in the United States. A memorandum prepared by the Immigration and Naturalization Service setting forth the facts of the case is attached. The alien is chargeable to an oversubscribed quota. In this respect, his case is similar to those of many others who desire to enter the United States for permanent residence. The record, however, fails to present any considerations which would justify granting him a preference over other aliens who desire to avail themselves of the advantages of permanent residence in the United States but who, nevertheless, are remaining abroad and following the procedures prescribed by law. Accordingly, this Department is unable to recommend enactment of the measure. Sincerely, A. DEVITT VANECH, MEMORANDUM OF INFORMATION FROM IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE FILES RE THOMAS O. ROBITSCHER, BENEFICIARY OF S. 1837 Thomas O. Robitscher is a native and citizen of Czechoslovakia, who was born on April 8, 1924. He last arrived in the United States at the port of New York on September 11, 1947, and was admitted as a student. He is still maintaining his student's status. On March 14, 1950, he filed an application for adjustment of his immigration status under section 4 of the Displaced Persons Act of 1948. On June 5, 1951, his application was denied on the ground he had failed to establish inability to return to Bolivia, the country of his last residence, because of fear of persecution on account of race, religion, or political opinions. Mr. ROBITSCHER has testified that he resided in his native country from birth until March 30, 1939; that on May 1, 1939, he and his mother, Magdalena Robitscher, entered Bolivia, South America, for permanent residence and resided there until his entry into the United States on September 11, 1947. From 1940 until 1947, he was continuously employed. At the time of his entry into the United States, he was in possession of documents authorizing his return to Bolivia. He has no near relatives residing in the United States. He states that his mother went from Bolivia to China with the UNRRA and later, in 1948, returned to Czechoslovakia. He has been partially supported by loans from the Max Danzis Foundation since his entry into the United States. The alien testified that he does not approve of the Communist political policies but believes that system of government provides assurances of a job and a certain minimum standard of living regardless of economic prosperity or crises. He continued that while living in Bolivia he was a member of a group of young people who organized to discuss political matters and that such organization made a study of the communistic theories of government. The alien is chargeable to the Czechoslovakian quota which is oversubscribed, and an immigration visa is not readily obtainable. Senator Leverett Saltonstall, the author of the bill, has submitted a number of letters and documents in connection with the case, among which are the following: UNITED STATES SENATE, March 7, 1953. Hon. WILLIAM LANGER, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR LANGER: This is in reference to S. 550, the private bill I filed on January 21, 1953, for the relief of Thomas O. Robitscher. This is a bill similar to S. 1837, which I filed in the 82d Congress for Mr. Robitscher. I am enclosing herewith a copy of a letter which I have received from Dr. James M. Faulkner, dean, Boston University School of Medicine, written in behalf of Mr. Robitscher. Dr. Faulkner, whom I know personally, speaks highly of this young man. Mrs. Oliver Cope, president, The Window Shop, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., who has for a number of years taken a keen interest in helping displaced persons, has also written about Mr. Robitscher, and a copy of her letter of January 12, 1953, to me is attached. Mr. Robitscher has submitted a detailed statement about his background and present activities. It brings up to date the information forwarded to the Senate Judiciary Committee on October 4, 1951; and it also sets forth reasons why he cannot return to Bolivia or his home country of Czechoslovakia. As you will note, Dr. Harold Case, president of Boston University, wrote me on September 18, 1951 (which letter was sent to the Judiciary Committee on October 4, 1951): "I am adding my word to the information given to you by others concerning Thomas Robitscher, a medical student at Boston University, and at present engaged in cancer research. "He is recognized by our faculty as one of the ablest students in the medical school and is giving evidence of extraordinary ability as a research scholar. In the important field of cancer research, it is conceivable that he may make an outstanding contribution to human welfare. * ** "I believe that he is an exceptionally worthy case and I will be grateful to you for anything you can do in his behalf. I have checked his record, it is the very best and have conferred with the faculty of our medical school and their recommendations are in the highest terms." From all that has been written to me about Mr. Robitscher and his particular case, it would appear that he is worthy of consideration as regards his immigration status. You will note that he is specializing in cancer research, which is of course a very important field of medical research. Your committee's earnest consideration of S. 550 and anything that may be done to expedite favorable action on this bill in behalf of Mr. Robitscher would, I know, be deeply appreciated by him and by those who have expressed a desire to try to help him. Thank you for your courtesy and helpfulness in this matter. Sincerely yours, LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, United States Senator. BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, Hon. LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR SALTONSTALL: I would greatly appreciate it if you would use your good offices to secure permission for Thomas O. Robitscher to remain permanently in this country. Born and brought up in the Sudetenland, Robitscher was driven out by the Nazis and escaped with his mother to Bolivia. He took his undergraduate premedical work at Syracuse University and came to us with high recommendations from his teachers there. He is now in the second half of the third year of a 4-year course at Boston University School of Medicine. He has an outstanding scholastic record and is among the top 10 in his class. He has managed, on top of this, to participate in a fundamental research project and has taken on a number of part-time jobs to help support himself. He has shown himself to be a good citizen in the school community and is well liked by his fellow students and the faculty. He is a fine person with high ideals and complete integrity. To interrupt his education at this point would be a tragedy. I believe Robitscher has a real contribution to make as a citizen of the United States and I earnestly hope that this opportunity will be afforded him. Sincerely yours, Hon. LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, JAMES M. FAULKNER, M. D., Dean. THE WINDOW SHOP, INC., Cambridge, Mass., January 12, 1953. Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR Saltonstall: I am writing in behalf of Thomas Robitscher of 38 Buswell Street, Boston, Mass., who is a student at Boston University Medical School. I understand that Mr. Robitscher's case is well known to you and that you filed a private bill S. 1837 in his behalf in the last Congress. While I recognize that these next months will be overwhelmingly busy for you, may I urge you to file S. 1837 or to file a new bill in Mr. Robitscher's behalf? No native born American can really understand the anguish of a person who has been excluded from his native country and belongs nowhere. I have known Tom Robitecher for over 2 years. He is a wonderful young man who will contribute much to this country. You have been so understanding about the refugees, I know you will do what you can to help this young man to eventually become an American citizen. Sincerely yours, (Signed) Alice DeNormandie Cope. Senator LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. Mrs. OLIVER COPE, President. BOSTON, MASS., January 30, 1953. MY DEAR SENATOR SALTONSTALL: I wish to thank you for the telegram which I received from you telling me that you had filed Senate bill 550 in my behalf. I wish to thank you very much for your kindness I am submitting the following information about myself: (1) Circumstances concerning my entry into the United States I was born April 8, 1924, in Carlsbad, Czechoslovakia. I lived in Czechoslovakia until March 1939. Czechoslovakia was then invaded by the Germans. I emigrated with my mother to La Paz, Bolivia, to escape Nazi persecution since we were Jewish. I maintained Czechoslovakian citizenship throughout the war since I had the intention of returning to my native country. After the war, I involuntarily lost my Czechoslovakian citizenship because I was born in the German speaking Sudeten. By Czechoslovakian regulations I had to prove that I was not a Nazi in order to regain my citizenship. While my application for reinstatement in Czechoslovakian citizenship was pending, I decided to leave Bolivia and go to the United States since confirmation of my citizenship might take a long time. I was anxious to begin my studies before I was too old to take the medical courses I wished for. I entered the United States at New York via the steamship Compero on September 11, 1947 on visitor's permit T-32164, Student visa (4s) at the American Embassy situated at La Paz, Bolivia. I proceeded immediately to Syracuse, N. Y. where I enrolled at Syracuse University in the liberal arts premedical course on September 20, 1947. I continued to study there, full time, until June 1950. I was accepted at Boston University Medical School for the fall term of 1950, I enrolled in the medical course there September 11, 1950. I am still studying at Boston University. My mother, who had accompanied me to Bolivia, went to China in 1946 with UNNRA. She is a doctor and was with UNNRA in her professional capacity. At the end of 1947, UNNRA ended its services in China and my mother returned to Czechoslovakia where she now is. Czechoslovakia is the only country in which she can practice medicine as her studies were completed there. In early 1948, the Communist regime took over Czechoslovakia. I decided that I could not return there. Furthermore, the Czechoslovakian authorities refused me passport prolongation which in turn made it impossible for me to maintain my status as a foreign student. In the summer of 1948, I applied for change of status under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948. My application was denied on the following basis: "That the applicant has not established that he is unable to return to Bolivia because of persecution or fear of persecution on account of race, religion, or political opinions." It was concluded "that the applicant was not eligible for adjustment of his immigration status as a displaced person residing in the United States within the meaning of section 4." My mother and I had entered Bolivia on permanent visas in 1939 following our flight from our home in Czechoslovakia. It is now impossible for me to secure a reentry permit to Bolivia, but in accordance with previous precedent decisions concerning the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 the Government has held that "an inability to return to a given country on the part of the applicant because of documentary difficulties in which he may have become involved is not an inability within the purview of the aforementioned qualifications which specify that the inability to return must be due to persecution or on account of race, religion, or political opinion." Therefore, although I have not been granted relief under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948, I actually am unable to return to Bolivia where I went on departure from Czechoslovakia since I lack passport and permission to reenter. (5) Present activities I am now a third-year student at Boston University School of Medicine. My 4-year course leads to a degree of doctor of medicine within 11⁄2 years. (3) Support I have consistently worked during the 3 months of summer vacation between academic years. In the summer of 1948 and 1949, I worked as a waiter for the Berkshire Country Club, Wingdale, N. Y. In the summer of 1950, I worked for 2 weeks as a stenographer for the New York Central Railroad in Syracuse, N. Y., and for 2 months as an assembler for the General Electric plant, Syracuse, N. Y While in college (Syracuse University, Syracuse, N. Y.), Î worked part time in the dining hall for my meals. Savings which I had accumulated while I lived in South America and three scholarships granted successively by Syracuse University and the above-mentioned jobs maintained me while at Syracuse University. Since I have been in the Boston University School of Medicine, I have had scholarships, one from the Hillel Foundation, 165 West 46th Street, New York City; one from the Max Donzis Medical Education Foundation, 31 Lincoln Park, Newark, N. J. and at the present time I have a scholarship granted by the Mid-European Studies Center, 154 East 62d Street, New York City. During the summer of 1951, I worked for the Cancer Research Laboratory (the Hormone Research Laboratory) at Boston University; 40 hours a week at the dining hall at Massachusetts Memorial Hospital; 10 hours daily and 12 hours daily on Saturdays and Sundays as a waiter at the Meadows, Boston, Mass. Savings from these jobs plus the scholarships have financed me through the present year at medical school. I am now working at the Cancer Research at Boston University School of Medicine under Dr. Lemon. I am not dependent upon any person for support, financial, or otherwise. (4) Political activities I am opposed to totalitarian forms of government. been, active in any political movement. I am not, nor have I ever Persons who have recommended me and who know of my character have already written you and I believe their letters are on file. They are Dr. James Faulkner and Dr. Henry Lemon, both of Boston University School of Medicine, and Mrs. Alice Cope, of the Window Shop, Inc., of Cambridge. I would like again to express my thanks and appreciation for all the kind interest which you have shown in my behalf. I shall be ever grateful to you for your consideration and help. Sincerely yours, THOMAS ROBITSCHER. The committee, after consideration of all the facts in the case, is of the opinion that the bill (S. 550) should be enacted. |