Human Rights—Where Do We Stand?
By DR. NAHUM GOLDMANN
President, World Jewish Congress
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS-69
Friday, September 16, 1955
sign to the urges, the demands,
EDITOR'S NOTE: During 5715, 94 in- dress to the conference. Portions of the complaints, of discriminated
ternational agencies, representing tens his address are reprinted not only be- groups, and to convince them that
of millions of people throughout the cause they are of special interest to
earth, met at Geneva under the aus- world Jewry, but also because they a serious effort would be made by
pices of the United Nations Conference contain specific proposals in the fight the United Nations to improve
of Non-Governmental Organizations to against bigotry.
their situation, to hear their com-
consider ways of eliminating prejudice
and discrimination. This unusual meet-
One of the main aims and val- plaints, and to satisfy their just
ing had a deep significance for the
demands, in an orderly construc-
Jewish people, a fact noted by Dr. ues of the United Nations when it
Nahum Goldmann, president of the was established, was to serve as a tive process.
World Jewish Congress who headed a
This solemn obligation has
large WJC delegation, in a major ad- great instrument to give expres-
not been fulfilled.
After a decade of consistent
and unremitting effort, of great
hopes, but of bitter disappoint-
ments, no Internatioal Bill of
Human Rights has come into ex-
istence.
None of the Great Powers
shows any inclination, willingness
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or readiness to fulfil their
pledged obligations "to take joint
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and separate actions to promote
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universal respect and observance
of human rights and freedoms."
The situation is worse today, in
many respects, than it was in the
days of the League of Nations
which did establish the right of
petition. At the League of Na-
tions there were notable cases in
which the World Jewish Con-
gress was concerned, where such
petitions brought about impor-
tant and positive results. Today,
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this is impossible.
Where do we now stand? What
TR. 5-3773
does the situation demand?
The experience of the Jewish
people, perhaps the most griev-
ously afflicted victim of racial
and religious prejudice, leads
us to the conviction that the
battle against discrimination
and prejudice cannot be won in
the field of generalized propa-
ganda alone or in an appeal
only to good sense and good
will.
We believe that action to eradi-
cate discrimination can be effect-
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ive only in the field of the law,
by legislative measures on the 'in-
ternational and national planes.
Accordingly, we propose:
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(1) That we address a solemn
and earnest appeal to the Powers
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to revise their policy on human
rights, within the United Nations.
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binding instruments, to promote
respect for human rights and to
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(2) That it is indispensable that
the right of recognized non-gov-
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UN. 3-7145
ernmental bodies to make repre-
sentations to the UN on policies
and acts of discrimination and to
secure public examination of
Our Most Cordial Greetings to
such grievances, should be- estab-
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lished and accepted by the State
Members of the UN; and
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(3) That we urge Governments
to adopt legislation prohibiting
and penalizing discrimination in
their countries. Such legislation
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would not only, protect victims of
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discrimination and prejudice, but
would create new standards of
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behavior and exercise a power-
ful educational influence in their
elimination.
'tire should not rely exclu-
sively or primarily on an ap-
peal to governments. We should
not underestimate our own
strength. We sit here represent-
ing many millions of people.
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Never in history was public
Opinion, if properly guided and
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directed, as powerful as it is
today.
In Saginaw, Michigan, at
Governments will be the last
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to follow. Politicians rarely cre-
ate new orders. What they do is
to crystallize, organize and legal-
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ize them.
I speak here as a Jew repre-
senting a people whose history is
perhaps the most dramatic and
tragic expression • of racial and
religious discrimination and per-
secution, especially during the
Nazi period. We have lived for
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centuries, discriminated against
and persecuted all over the
world, as small minorities. We
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have survived because we never
gave up hope and refused to yield
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to brute strength and govern-
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mental power. We continued to
protest and to proclaim our rights
Our Sincerest Wishes for the New Year
to equality and freedom.
This history of our people gives
us the moral right to tell you
that more important even than
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pressures on governments, more
potent than criticism of their
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strength, in the determination to
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fight for our just rights, and in
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the deep conviction that we, the
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people, will finally win • the day.
Holiday Good Cheer
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