7000 in Chicago Rally, Including Non-jewish Ethnic, Minority Leaders, Condemn Anti-zionist Resolutio

A crowd estimated at between 5000-7000 persons representing Jews and virtually every other ethnic and religious group in Chicago jammed Civic Center Plaza despite intermittent heavy rainfalls to contemn the UN anti-Zionist resolution as a blatant piece of racism and insult to the American people. The rally, last Thursday, was organized by the Jewish United Fund of Chicago and presided over by Maynard Wishner, chairman of its Public Affairs Committee.

Gov. Daniel Walker of Illinois, addressing the rally, branded the resolution that identified Zionism as a form of racism as “an outrageous lie and an insult to Americans.” He said, “We must continue to raise our voices all over the U.S. to let the world know where Americans stand on this issue. We may be forced to import Arab oil but no one should force us to import Arab hatred.”

Canon David N. Harris, Pastor of the Cathedral of St. James of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, warned that the UN action would “foster ill will and negate its goals of pence, international good will and universal respect for humanity.” The Diocesan Council of the Episcopal Church here, adopted a resolution expressing “shock and dismay over the deplorable actions” of the General Assembly in condemning Zionism as a form of racism.

The rally was attended by leaders and representatives of the city’s Greek, Polish, Italian, Ukrainian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Latin, Swedish, Black, Irish, Belgian, Vietnamese and Mexican-American communities, A statement signed by the “ethnic and minority community leaders” said in part: “To equate Zionism, a humanitarian movement, with racism is both a blatant lie and an insult to millions of Americans whose ethnic and racial backgrounds make them sensitive to all forms of bigotry.” The statement expressed “solidarity with the democratic nation of Israel.”