(
Countrywide Protests Mount Against
Immigration Law s Racist Provisions
I
1
Eisenhower for Repeal
Of Biased McCarran Act
THE JEWISH NEWS
WASHINGTON, (JTA) —The State Department continued to
defend its new policy of requiring Jewish applications for visas to
identify themselves as "Jews" in the face of mounting protests
against the practice.
A department spokesman insisted that the practice was in
accordance Niith "present laws" and did not repreSent a jumping
of the gun on the McCarran-Walter Immigration Act which goes
into effect Dec. 24. The spokesman was unable to cite chapter and
verse of any law on the books requiring the identification as Jews
of Jewish visa applicants.
In response to a scorching- protest from Congresswoman
Frances P. Bolton of Ohio. member of the House Foreign Affairs •
Committee, the State Dept. announced it was preparing a "report"
on its Visa Division's practice in listing Jews as such.
Mrs. Bolton said that section 222-A of the McCarran-Walter
Immigration Act calling upon alien applicants for visas to state
their "race and ethnic classification" was not intended by con-
gress "to be in any way applicable to Jews who, as a peop,1‘, are
considered indentifiable only on a religious basis."
Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper, Incorporating The Jewish Chronicle
September 5, 1952
'7
708 David Stott Bldg., Detroit'
Vol. 21—No. 26
A
(See EDITORIAL, Page 4)
"It has been my understanding for many years that scientists
have long since accepted the fact to be established many years ago
that there is no Jewish 'race', - Mrs. Bolton stated in her letter to
Secretary of State. Dean Acheson. She emphasized that required
designation of Jews as a race or as a special ethnic group would be
a misinterpretation of section 222-A of the McCarran Immigration
Act.
Budget Bureau Unable To Order Deletion
Mrs. Bolton's protest was made as another Government agency
confirmed that the listing of Jews was being practiced under the
McCarran-Walter measure. In response to communications from
the Bnai Brith's Anti-Defamation League, James F. Barrie, assist-
ant to the Director of the Budget, said that while it was general
re-
on application blanks
policy not to permit "references
personal
characteristics
of
the
appli-
ligion, ethnic origin or other
suspicion of possible discriminatory a•-
cant which might invite
."
the_
jaureo.u,..cannot
order removal of such questions ''if there
)
lion
is statutory authority requiting it."
out, this information is specifi-
In this case, the letter pointed
cally required by the McCarran-Walter Act and the Budget Bureau,
therefore, has no authority to order its deletion.
The State Department cited a letter written by Herve d.
L'Heureux, chief of the Visa Division, as definitive of the policy
on the list of Jews. The letter was addressed to Herman Edels-
berg, director of the Washington office of the Anti-Defamation
League. Mr. L'Heureux had been asked about the typing in of
the word "Hebrew" in the space provided on visa forms for the
answer to the question of "Race."
-
Continued on Page 24
BC)91:zi: 1 ()I: gill: PLOIMIl
TT' BoOl:
mak • ••••0 .1 .,
-
Weekly Review
ti of Jewish Events
Russia Challenged in
Yugoslavia on Fate of
2,500,000 lose Jews
Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jewish News
LONDON -According to the Manchester Guardian, Diplomaticer
Yugoslav Journals have been asking again what's happened to the Jews in
Russia. They say that official Soviet Union figures shbwed there were just
over :;,000.000 Jews in Russia at the -start of 19S9. In addition, the .
add-
American J ewish Committee calculated that another 2,►► 0,000 were
var.
the
t
start
of
ed when Russia annexed part of Poland at the
According to the Yugoslays, the total number of Jews totiar in the
Soviet Union is only I.500,000. The Germans are supposed to have killed.
about 1.000,000 Jews in Russian territory. says the Guardian. Diploma-
ticer asks what has become of the missing 2.5u0.00( ► .
-
The correspondent quotes the Yugoslav review of international affairs
as observing: "Not one of them has moved to Israel because it was the USSR
that raised the greatest difficulties for Jews who wanted to emigrate. Per-
haps the answer to the question can be found in the fact that -30 percent of
the Jews in the Soviet Union are in concentration camps, or in the fact that
nothing is said about the Jewish autonomous region of Birobidzhan or of Jewish
colonies in the Ukraine and in Crimea. It is not improbable that Jews have met
the fate of Volga Germans, Chechens or Tartans."
-0100011114litt1ardian correspondent concludes by quoting the Yugoslav review as
noting that the last Yiddish paper in Russia was banned in 1948, and that of
100 Generals and Mar shalls who have recently retired or "died suddenly," 63
were Jews.
•
Russia to Pay in Cash for Israel Citrus Fruits
TEL AVIV — The Soviet government has agreed to pay in foreign cur-
rency for citrus fruits imported from Israel. it was reported here Tuesday by
the Israel delegation which proceeded to Moscow to negotiate an agreement
on the sale of citrus fruits to the Soviet Union.
Previously. Soviet authorities suggested to send to Israel wheat in ex-
change for citrus fruits. However, Israel refused such an arrangement because
he prices quoted by Moscow for wheat were higher than the market prices. The
Soviet authorities agreed to buy 400.000 cases of Israel oranges.
$822,000,000 Settlement Reached
With West German Federal State
THE HAGUE. (JTA)—The West German Federal Republic will make restitution to the
State of Israel and to the Jewish people throughout the world to the extent of S822.000.000,
payable in the form of goods and supplies for Israel to be delivered over the next 12 years,
under agreements reached here this week by delegations representing West Germany, the
State of Israel and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
The ceremony of initialling the pacts is scheduled to he held shortly in Luxemburg. It
was indicated that the agreements will be signed officially in Luxemburg during the middle
of September by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer on behalf of the West German Government,
and by Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett on behalf of the Israel government. Moses Leavitt,
head of the Conference delegation, and possibly Dr. Nahum Goldmann, head of the Confer-
ence's presidium, will sign the pact on behalf of the Conference. ,
It was learned here that the West German Government will release 12,000,000 pounds
sterling in England for Israel to buy oil from British companies. This will insure Israel's oil
supply until March, 1954.
With regard to the claims against Israel presented by the German Templar Association
for property in Israel allegedly confiscated by the Israeli authorities, it was decided by the
German and Israeli delegations here to open new negotiations. The Templar Association
claims 50,000,000 pounds. The Israelis have agreed to speed up payments for the Associa-
tion through the Lutheran World Union. The sum of $50,000 has already been paid. In ad-
dition. Israel has agreed to pay 530,000 pounds during the next five years.
Jews Abroad Can Get
JEWISH BOOK MONTH
This new four-color Jewish Book Month poster,
'
designed by the well-known Jewish artist, Uriel Birn-
baum, is being distributed to Jewish organizatons
throughout the country participating in the 10th annual
observance of Jewish Book Month to be marked from
Nov. 7 to Dec. 7, .under the auspices of the National
Jewish Welfare Board-sponsored Jewish Book Council
of America.
Port of Their "Frozen Accounts" in Germany
JERUSALEM. (JTA)—Every German Jew possessing frozen accounts in German banks 'will be
able to draw up to 5.000 marks—approximately S1.200—a spokesman for the Jewish Agency an-
nounced. He added that about 20,000 German Jews whose capital has been blocked in Germany are
now residing in Israel.
These Jews, he said. will now be allowed by Germany to transfer to Israel goods valued at 5,000
marks. However, the commodities which they will be permitted to acquire will have to be for per-
sonal or household use only. The spokesman estimated that the Nazis had frozen Jewish accounts
to the extent of 1,500,000,000 marks.
German Cabinet Considers Establishment of Fund for Arab Refugees
BONN, (JTA'—The German Cabinet considered a suggestion to establish a fund for Arab
refugees in order to allay Arab anger at the conclusion of the German-Israeli reparations agreement.
The Germ-an Union For Foreign Trade has received a warning letter from the Arab Higher
Committee for Palestine threatening that the Arab countries will institute a general boycott of Ger•
man goods should the Bonn Government sign a reparations agreement with Israel.