Spokesmen for leading American Jewish organizations demanded today that the House Ways and Means Committee report favorably on the Mills-Vanik Free Emigration Act, an amendment to the East-West Trade Bill that would deny most favored nation status to the Soviet Union unless it lifts restrictions on emigration.
The key Congressional committee was to have met behind closed doors today to hear testimony on the measure which has the support of two-thirds of the House and to hear testimony by Secretary of State-designate Dr. Henry Kissinger, However, the committee decided to postpone action on MFN and to postpone Dr. Kissinger’s appearance. (See P. 3 for details.) An identical measure in the Senate, the Jackson Amendment, commands more than a 75 percent majority. But the Nixon Administration is making serious attempts to have both bills killed in committee.
‘QUIET DIPLOMACY’ TERMED INSUFFICIENT
The Administration’s policy of “quiet diplomacy” on the issue of Soviet Jews was termed “insufficient” today by Harry K. Gutmann, chairman
Rabbi Israel Miller, president of the American Zionist Federation, in a telegram to the House committee urged its “unwavering support” for the Mills-Vanik bill. He said “the compelling need for its passage is underlined by current developments in the Soviet Union” and that its adoption “by your committee will demonstrate that the U.S. will not sacrifice human rights on the altar of expediency.”
Mrs. Rose Matzkin, national president of Hadassah, said today that her 325,000-member organization firmly supports the Mills-Vanik bill. “We are opposed to revisions of this bill which would allow the continuation of the present restriction on free emigration of Soviet Jews,” Mrs. Matzkin said. “The Mills-Vanik legislation is one of the most effective measures to gain freedom for Soviet Jews.”
The Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry also urged the House committee to approve the Mills-Vanik legislation. “Any efforts to modify this legislation could be interpreted as a signal by the United States to the Soviet Union that this nation is more interested in products than people,” said Stanley H. Lowell. Conference chairman.
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.
