B’rith Abraham Convention Lauds Roosevelt’s Rescue Action

President Roosevelt’s announcement of the immediate admission of 1,000 refugees from Europe for temporary stay in this country, at Fort Ontario, in New York State, was hailed today at the opening session of the 57th annual convention of the Independent Order B’rith Abraham in an address by Herman Hoffman, grand master of the Jewish fraternal order. The convention is being attended by 500 delegates from 400 lodges.

The organizations support of the war effort was lauded by President Roosevelt in a message sent to the convention. “B’rith Abraham has been unwearied in its support of the war effort on the far-flung battlefronts and in the maintenance of all those other services necessary in a unified attack on tyranny and totalitarianism,” the message said. “I send hearty greetings to the 57th Convention in full confidence that in its deliberations it will subordinate everything else to the hastening of victory.”

A 17-point post-war program for the normalization of Jewish life in Europe was outlined by Mr. Hoffman in an address at the opening session. He urged that the United Nations draw up at the peace table an “International Bill of Rights” based on the four freedoms and the Atlantic Charter. His other recommendations included the elimination of anti-Semitism through international law; destruction of any system of ideology that creates dictators; speedy trials to bring to justice those responsible for inhuman crimes against Jews and other faiths; complete abrogation of the British White Paper; and provisions of facilities for the rehabilitation of Nazi victims, with proper medical care.

In discussing the war, Mr. Hoffman warned that there is a rising tide of Fascism in this country, operating under the guise of narrow nationalism. “The recent emergence of groups in this country under the spurious cloak of so called nationalism is a morning to us that the right to maintain humanitarian and democratic principles will have to be continued by all thinking and forward looking persons,” he declared. “To win the peace we need eternal vigilance. All democratic forces must unite to bring shout a post-war program that will protect all minority groups – regardless of race, color or creed.”