69 Senators Back U.S. Jewish Protests on Treatment of Jews in Russia

More than two-thirds of the members of the U. S. Senate — 69 Senators — registered their “staunch support of the American Jewish community’s protests against the anti-Semitic policies of the Soviet Union” in a statement issued today in connection with a two-day national leadership conference opening here Sunday under the auspices of the American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry.

The Conference, comprising 400 Jewish leaders representing 25 national Jewish organizations, will meet here to proclaim a Declaration of Rights for Soviet Jewry on Monday in historic Congress Hall, where the American Bill of Rights was formally added to the American Constitution in 1791.

The statement, signed by the 69 U. S. Senators declared that “the plight of Soviet Jewry has long been a concern of the United States Senate. On more than one occasion the Senate adopted resolutions expressing sympathy for the Jews living in the Soviet Union — and condemning the Soviet policy of discrimination against Jewish culture, religion and community. They expressed our fervent hope for a reversal of Soviet policy.

“We therefore consider it fitting, as United States Senators, to register our staunch support of the American Jewish community’s protests against the anti-Semitic policies of the Soviet Union.” The statement said: “We must continually direct the world’s attention to this state of affairs, and put forward the insistent demand that the 3, 000, 000 Jews of the Soviet Union be allowed to live creatively and in dignity as Jews. The facts are well known. They have been ably presented by the American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry, which was founded just two years ago in our nation’s Capital.

“Soviet policy,” the statement stressed, “seems to be aiming at the obliteration of the Jewish community and Jewish culture. This must be vigorously protested — not only by those who value and revere the ancient Jewish tradition and civilization, but also by every person who respects the fundamental human right of a group to live in peace and security.”

Recognizing that “there are tens of thousands of Jews who desire — after decades of sorrow and tragedy — to be rejoined with their broken families in the United States, in Israel and other countries” the statement by the Senators strongly supports “the plea that the Soviet Government translate this principle into practice.”

LIST OF SENATORS INDICATES NATIONWIDE INTEREST IN SOVIET JEWRY

The list of the senators who signed the statement indicates wide American interest in the fate of Soviet Jewry. The signatories are: Gordon Allott, Colorado; E. L. Bartlett, Alaska; Birch Bayh, Indiana; Wallace F. Bennett, Utah; J. Caleb Bogg, Delaware; Daniel B. Brewster, Maryland; Cuentin N. Burdick, N. Dakota; Harry F. Byrd, Jr., Virginia; Robert C. Byrd, W. Virginia; Howard W. Cannon, Nevada; Clifford P. Case, New Jersey; Joseph S. Clark, Pennsylvania; John Sherman Cooper, Kentucky; Thomas J. Dodd, Connecticut; Peter H. Dominick, Colorado; Paul H. Douglas, Illinois; Paul J. Fannin, Arizona; Hiram L. Fong, Hawaii; Ernest Greuning, Alaska;

Also Philip A. Hart, Michigan; Vance Hartke, Indiana; Spessard L. Holland, Florida; Roman L. Hruska, Nebraska; Daniel K. Inouye, Hawaii; Henry M. Jackson, Washington; Jacob H. Javits, New York; Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts; Robert F. Kennedy, New York; Thomas H. Kuchel, California; Frank J. Lausche, Ohio; Edward V. Long, Missouri; Warren G. Magnuson, Washington; Eugene J. McCarthy, Minnesota; John L. McClellan, Arkansas; Gale W. McGee, Wyoming; George McGovern, S. Dakota; Thomas J. McIntyre, New Hampshire; Lee Metcalf, Montana; Jack Miller, Iowa;

Also Walter F. Mondale, Minnesota; A. S. Mike Monroney, Oklahoma; Joseph M. Montoya, New Mexico; Wayne Morse, Oregon; Thruston B. Morton, Kentucky; Frank E. Moss, Utah; Karl E. Mundt, S. Dakota; George Murphy, California; Maurine Neuberger, Oregon; John O. Pastore, Rhode Island; James B. Pearson, Kansas; Claiborne Pell, Rhode Island; William Proxmire, Wisconsin; Jennings Randolph, West Virginia; Abraham A. Ribicoff, Connecticut) Leverett Saltonstall, Massachusetts, Hugh Scott, Pennsylvania; Milward L. Simpson, Wyoming; George A. Smathers, Florida; Stuart Symington, Missouri; Strom Thurmond, S. Carolina; John G. Tower, Texas; Joseph D. Tydings, Maryland; Harrison A. Williams, Jr., New Jersey; Ralph W. Yarborough, Texas; Stephen M. Young, Ohio; Alan Bible, Nevada; Winston L. Prouty, Vermont; Everett McKinley Dirksen, Illinois; and Gaylord Nelson, Wisconsin.