President of the Danish Women's Council Studies the Refugee Problem

On the tenth of last February Beirut was visited by Mrs. Elli Ross, president of the Danish Women's Council, sent by the International Council of Women to study the situation of the Arab refugees and to strive to solve their problems in a humane way, without touching on politics.

It is worth mentioning that the International Council of Women comprises 42 women's councils throughout the world, and in its general meetings it never touches on political matters at all. This council placed its confidence in the person of Mrs. Ross in view of the abundant competence she has won, not only in social activity but in journalism as well.

Since Mrs. Laure Tabet, president of the League of Women's Organizations in Lebanon, is a member of the International Council of Women and its vice-president, Mrs. Ross wrote to her before her arrival, acquainting her with the purpose of her visit and asking her help in getting in touch with those in authority.

Mrs. Tabet took an interest in Mrs. Ross's letter and invited in her honor, to a tea party, a select company of Lebanese ladies active in women's fields and acquainted with the truth of the present situation. She also invited the wife of Mr. Henry Labouisse, director of UNRWA in the Middle East, and through her a tour of the refugee women's camps was organized, on which the Lebanese ladies accompanied Mrs. Ross for two full days. She saw with her own eyes the utter misery and wretchedness of the condition of the Arab refugees, and it became clear to her, with sorrow, that the solving of these problems is no easy matter... As for her proposal to assemble a committee of Israeli and Arab women to confer on a solution of this question, it met with no welcome whatever.

Mrs. Ross pursued her contacts with the women's organizations, traveling to Damascus and then to Jordan to steep herself in the refugee question through study and firsthand knowledge, and to visit the greatest possible number of camps. She has come away with but little faith in her power to serve this thorny problem and solve it humanely, after she clearly felt the international political influence that has taken hold of the situation.