An official of the American Jewish Congress called on private Industry, trade unions and professional groups to supplement governmental efforts to combat aerial hijacking and other forms of international terrorism by parallel actions of their own. In making the proposal, Howard M. Squadron, chairman of the AJ Congress’ National Governing Council warned that the problem could not be solved “by conventional intergovernmental structures alone.”
Squadron made his remarks at the first meeting yesterday of the 150-member governing body of the AJ Congress which was elected last May. He praised US government action to stop terrorism but declared: “Considerations of politics and protocol make it highly unlikely that the United Nations or any of its agencies or other broad inter-governmental organizations will be able to take effective collective action.”
Squadron said that “if practical and concrete controls of terrorism are to be put into effect they will have to be devised and carried out in large part by the private sector of each country where these (terrorist) operations now menace public safety, Including the US and most of Western Europe.”
SPECIFIC STEPS OUTLINED
Specifically, Squadron called for the “immediate consideration of parallel action by private groups” including “withdrawal by the business community of Investment in and refusal to do business with” countries that aid or harbor terrorists. He also suggested the “refusal by unions involved in international shipping and international mail to handle deliveries to and from such countries” and “refusal by professional groups to accept assignments in or work on projects for countries that give a green light to international murderers.”
Squadron said the AJ Congress welcomed the emphasis on countering terrorism by the US Congress and applauded Secretary of State William P. Rogers for “placing this Issue squarely before the UN.” He said he thought this was “a salutary and important effort to ensure that this problem receives the attention it deserves.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
