Brotherhood Week Starts; 10,000 Communities Pledge to Combat Bigotry

The nationwide observance of Brotherhood Week, sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews, started today throughout the country with an appeal by President Eisenhower for unity among all the people of the United States. The President’s message read.

“All of us must continue our efforts to promote a belief in brotherhood among people of varied backgrounds, to uphold the right to freedom of worship, to foster the individual citizen’s understanding and tolerance of his neighbor’s spiritual convictions. Such efforts, which rest upon a belief in the equality and dignity of men under the Fatherhood of God, are essential to our unity and strength as a society.”

As some 10,000 communities across the United States and Canada joined this year’s campaign against bigotry, the NCCJ announced 30 awards to men and productions in the mass communications media for “outstanding contributions to the cause of brotherhood Proclamations by governors and mayors touched off local and state celebrations which enlisted the cooperation of schools, civic bodies, religious and fraternal groups and veterans and youth organizations.

Chaplains in the armed services have arranged brotherhood programs at military installations in the U. S. and abroad, radio and television networks have scheduled programs and spot announcements on brotherhood, and the nation’s 18,500 motion picture houses have been enlisted in a campaign to enroll 50,000 new members for the NCCJ.

Discrimination costs the United States an estimated 30 billion dollars a year, it was pointed out today by William E. Vickery, educational director of the New York area of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Addressing the faculty and students Pace College, at St. Paul’s Church, Dr. Vickery stressed that racial and religious intolerance not only lowers the purchasing power of minority groups, but has direct bearing on the nation’s expenditures in the fields of health and crime prevention.