Jewish Statement on Nazi Atrocities Ignored at Inter-allied Conference in London

Jewish leaders here are greatly disappointed over the fact that a statement on Jewish sufferings in Nazi-occupied countries was completely ignored at the session of the Inter-Allied conference held in St. James Palace today, at which representatives of Poland, Belgium, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Holland, Norway, Yugoslavia, Free France and Luxemburg pledged themselves to “punish all those guilty and responsible during the war for acts of violence against the civilian population.”

The Jewish statement was prepared by the Joint Foreign Committee of the Board of Jewish Deputies. It was addressed to Gen. Sikorski, Polish Premier, who presided at today’s session. The communication, however, was not read to the assembled delegates by the Polish premier. The Jews and their plight under the Nazis were mentioned at the session only once, and then only incidentally by the foreign minister of Luxemburg.

In its statement, the Joint Foreign Committee of the Board of Jewish Deputies referred to the sufferings of Jews as victims of Nazi atrocities in all territories occupied by the Nazis. It drew the attention of the Inter-Allied Conference to the fact that Jews are being treated with special brutality by the Nazis. It emphasized the fact that Jews are being mercilessly herded into ghettos and deliberately tortured to death by the Nazis through hunger, epidemics and refusal of a minimum of medical aid. It pointed out that the Jews of the democratic countries especially welcome the creation of the Inter-Allied Conference which will make one of its principal war aims the apprehension, trying and sentencing of all those guilty of violence against civilians in the Nazi-occupied territories, irrespective of nationality.

At today’s session the nine nations participating in the Inter-Allied Conference signed a four-point declaration, placing amongst their principal war aims the punishment of Nazis responsible for the present atrocities committed against the civilian population. This declaration was not signed by the United States, Britain, Russia and China. In addition to the statement sent to today’s session by the Joint Foreign Committee of the Board of Jewish Deputies, some Jewish refugee groups in London have sent petitions to the Inter-Allied Conference asking a hearing at the proper time.