Coca-Cola's Rejection of Israel Franchise ils'idge:res
S eeds Nationwide Counter-Boycott Efforts
Reports from many areas ind
Rep. Halpern asserted that
cate that the movement for a
"despite assurances by the de-
counter-boycott against the Coc a-
partments of commerce and
Cola Co. for its refusal to grant a
state that the non - mandatory
franchise to Israel is gainin g provisions" that d i s c o u r a g e
momemtum throughout the land
American commercial vulner-
James A. Farley, chairman of
ability to the Arab boycott were
the Coca-Cola Export Corp., in a
adequate, Coca-Cola and other
statment issued in New York o n
American companies continue to
Tuesday, d e-
be subjected to "Arab dictation
Glared that th e
as to trading with Israel."
charge that hi
"Inadequacy in the wording of
company h a a the law is forcing companies to
yielded to Ara b comply with the Arab intrusion
threats in deny into American foreign trade and
mg a franchis e they camouflage such submission
to an Israe li as the Coca-Cola Company has
bottler wa
done," he stated. He recalled that
"completely un a warning was sounded during last
fair and un year's Congressional debate "that
founded." H e just such a situation would ensue
Farley
said the Tem po unless a specific measure prohibit-
Soft Drinks Co., which had bee n ing compliance with foreign boy-
denied a franchise, was success cotts was retained."
fully sued by Coca-Cola Export i n
The Congressman asked for a
Tel Aviv • for infringing on hi
"detailed and comprehensive re-
company's trademark and distinc
port on why gaps and loopholes
tive bottle shape.
in the anti - boycott law have
Anti-DCamation League's gen emerged despite assurances to the
eral counsel, Arnold Forster, sai d contrary given to Congress when
he was unaware of such litigation we reluctantly agreed to accept
He= insisted, however, that th e the weakened version of the bill
basic charge, that Coca-Cola yield recommended by the Executive
ed to Arab pressure, was valid Department."
He traced Coca-Cola's submission
It was learned that a number
to Arab boycott threats to 1961.
of other subcommittee members
Farley, the former U. S. post- supported the Halpern proposal
master general, gave assurances
for strengthening the anti-boycott
that his corporation "has not and law. If hearings are called, repre-
will not conduct its affairs in re-
sentatives of other corporations in
sponse to any boycott, and that
addition to Coca-Cola may be
includes the so-called Arab boy-
asked to testify.
cott."
War Veterans to Consider
Farley also said that an earlier a Counter-Boycott
grant by his company of a fran-
WASHINGTON (JTA) — A pro-
chise to an Israeli businessman posal for a "counter-boycott" of
has been rejected by the Israel the Coca-Cola Company by Ameri-
government.
can consumers, in response to the
The New York City Commission company's refusal to provide a
has called upon Farley to make Coca-Cola franchise to an Israeli
Coca-Cola's representatives avail- firm, will be considered by the
able for discussions of the subject national executive committee of
because they cannot abide "by one the Jewish War Veterans of the
set of laws in the country in which United States.
they do most of their business and
Abraham Kraditor, chairman of
another set of laws when they do the JWV executive committee,
business in other parts of the said a proposal has been made by
world."
"elements of our membership"
Meanwhile. Frank Ford, secre- that "veterans and their families
tary-treasurer of Music Fair En- desist from purchasing Coca-Cola
terprises, which operates six sum- products throughout the United
mer resort tent theaters, instructed States until such time as the com-
concessionaires not to sell Coca- pany discontinues its discrimina-
Cola, and similar instructions have tory policies in foreign sales and
been issued in other quarters.
franchise practices." He added
An order issued Monday at that "the proposal includes a rec-
Mount Sinai Hospital in New York ommendation that veterans who
to stop selling Coca-Cola was re- are merchants refrain from selling
scinded the next day.
Coca-Cola products as a phase of
In Jerusalem, Charles Percy, Re- cur response."
publican senatorial candidate for
"While I cannot predict wheth-
Illinois and chairman of the Chi- er the counter-boycott concept will
cago Chamber of Commerce, said commend itself to the national ex-
Wednesday that he would meet ecutive committee after debate and
with the directors of the Coca-Cola consideration," Kraditor said, "I
Company when he returns to the can categorically state that the
United States.
Percy told Prime Minister Levi
Eshkol that the Chicago Chamber New Jewish Religious
of Commerce had made a decision Group Formed in Israel
to oppose the Arab boycott of Is-
JERUSALEM (JTA) — A new
rael by noncompliance. He said Jewish religious group with no
the Chicago chamber would try to
political ties, held its founding con-
persuade other American cham-
vention here April 7. Its initiator,
bers of commerce to follow suit.
Prof. Ephraim Urbach of the He-
Congressman Urges Hearings
brew University, defined the aims
on Rejection of Israel Trade
of the group as that of fostering
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Con- traditional Judaism and "refur-
gressional hearings to obtain tes-
bishing" Jewish religious law and
timony from the Coca-Cola Export institutions under "modern condi-
Corp. were urged Tuesday by Rep. tions."
Seymour Halpern, ranking Repub-
Some of the participants urged
lican member of the House Sub-
committee on International Trade,. the new movement to work in
close cooperation with the chief
as part of a drive to strengthen
anti-boycott provisions of the Ex- rabbinate, warning that otherwise
Orthodox Judaism in Israel might
port Control Act.
possibly be threatened.
In a letter to Secretary of Com-
merce John T. Connor, Rep. Hal-
pern charged that the Coca-Cola Montreal Gets $4,425,538
Co. submitted to Arab boycott
MONTREAL (JTA)—The final
pressures because important pro- total raised in the 1965 Joint Cam-
visions were omitted last year from paign for Combined Jewish Appeal
the legislation adopted. He an- and United Israel Appeal was a
nounced that he had studied the record $4,425,538, it was reported
Coca-Cola case and "decided to by 1965 campaign chairman Henry
institute legal action by amend- Blatt. This was an increase of 8
ment to revive the deleted lan- per cent over 1964. Each division
guage and provide potency and raised more in 1965 than in 1964,
teeth to the law."
Blatt stated.
Jewish veterans will definitely take
strong action. If the Coca-Cola
Company is able to flaunt the pro-
visions of the Export Control Act
on such transparent and weak pre-
texts, then the whole intent of the
law will be undermined."
He stated further: "Coca-Cola
may have a legal right to submit
to Arab pressures and deny a
Coca-Cola franchise to Israel. But
our members also have a right to
pick and choose which cola drink
they use during the coming warm
weather. That is a question which
we will have decided as a matter
of organizational policy. But I can
state that we have had a ground-
swell of opinion from members and
posts throughout the nation. They
are outraged by the decision of the
Coca-Cola Export Corporation."
He expressed hope that "the Coca-
Cola people will review their stand
and reject foreign bigotry."
Big Coca-Cola Outlet Warns
Sales May Be Affected
NEW YORK (JTA)—A 50-year-
old chain of sea food and frank-
furter stands, Nathan's Famous,
informed the Coca-Cola Export
Corporation that it may not con-
tinue . serving Coca-Cola at. its
stands as the only cola offered to
customers. The chain has outlets
in Coney Island, Yonkers and
Oceanside, L.I., and is one of the
biggest sellers of Coca-Cola in the
metropolitan area.
Murray Handwerker, executive
vice-president of Nathan's Fam-
ous, sent a telegram to Robert L.
Gunnels, staff vice-president of
the Coca-Cola Export Corporation,
- stating: "We hereby notify you
that, unless Coca-Cola reviews the
situation thoroughly and revises
its decision to keep its product out
of ISrael, we cannot in conscience
continue serving your beverage as
the only cola offered at our-three
stores. This is not a reflection on
the quality of your product, since
as you know we are one of the
largest sellers of Coca-Cola in this
area. However, it is definitely a
reflection on the quality of your
existing export policy. We sincere-
ly hope this will be altered so that
we can continue our amicable and
mutually profitable business rela-
tionship.
In last week's story on matzo
provisions in the Soviet Union, the
population figure listed for Odessa
was 250,000. A reader pointed out
that the American Jewish Year
Book for 1965 lists the Jewish
population for Odessa as 90,000.
The Jewish News checked the
facts with the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, which replied:
"The American Jewish Year
Book figure on the Jewish popula-
tion in Odessa is their best esti-
mate, as stated in the Year Book.
However, a highly reliable source
here told us two weeks ago that
the figure is 250,000."
JTA called the source "abso-
lutely accurate" in the past, but
requested that the name of the
source be withheld.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, April 15, 1966-7
IF YOU TURN THE
•v•do•
UPSIDE DOWN YOU WON'T
FIND A FINER WINE THAN
What makes
the unswitchame brand
unswitchabie?
HAPtUFACTURED
U_S.A. BY
ILLHEINICO,OITTSBURGH,PA,
Your mot!
Why? Because families like yours which use vegetarian beans
wouldn't buy any kind but Heinz.As you know well, switching from
one brand of a product to another is almost the style these days.Then
how come the unswitchability of H.V. B.? Is it the*©seal that makes
the big difference? Or the delightful flavor of the tomato sauce? Or
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in the name Heinz? Maybe it's all four reasons ! Could be! 57
*THE ()KOSHER SEAL:—The OO on the label is the official symbol of approval and endorsement of
THE UNION OF ORTHODOX. JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA.
.