A three-and-a-half-year-old discrimination dispute between the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith and the Lake Placid Club, a resort in the Adirondack Mountains, was ended this week-end after a formal “understanding” was reached between the club and the ADL.
The “understanding” expressed in a joint statement, was made public at ADL headquarters here by Henry E. Schultz, national chairman of ADL, and C. Walter Barrett, president of the Lake Placid Club. On its part, the ADL announced it was dropping charges against the club, lodged with the New York State Commission Against Discrimination. The Club, in turn, agreed to discontinue solicitation of convention business, declaring it will operate solely as a private membership resort.
A New York State law prohibits religious or racial discrimination by hotels. The Lake Placid Club maintains that it is “a religious-oriented” private club which has always provided Christian religions services on its premises, and maintains a resident Christian chaplain. The ADL has maintained, however, that the Club has been soliciting convention business, during “off-season” periods, through a commercial agency, thereby taking on the character of a hotel.
In the “understanding,” the Club has agreed to halt such solicitations and has agreed also to “welcome all guests brought by club members, regardless of race, creed or national origin.” Conference and convention groups will still be able to use the Club’s accommodations, but only if sponsored by a member. The 66-year-old club claims to have 1,357 members residing in all parts of the United States.
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