A.f. of L’s Rosh Hashonah Message Asks End to Racial and Religious Discrimination

A Rosh Hashonah message to the Jews of the United States and the rest of the world from the 6,000,000 workers organized in the American Federation of Labor was issued here today by William Green, president of the A. F. of L., through Adolph Held, chairman of the Jewish Labor Committee.

The message follows on the heels of an appeal by Mr. Green, Philip Murray, president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations, Mr. Held, and David Dubinsky, president of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, for action by the United States to have Jews in occupied countries classified as war prisoners and treated accordingly and for the admission to all United Nations territory of Jews fleeing Axis-held countries. The appeal was submitted to Secretary of State Hull on Friday when he received the labor leaders. Mr. Hull is reported to have told the delegation that he would do all possible to assist the Jews in Europe.

The text of Mr. Green’s greeting follows: “The American Federation of Labor joins with the Jewish people on this New Year in the hope that before another year has passed the tyrants and oppressors and dictators of Europe and Asia will be punished for their crimes against humanity. The downfall of Mussolini was the first step toward the eventful total elimination of Fascism and Nazism from any and all governments in the world. But in my opinion total victory will not be complete unless the destruction of the Axis powers is accompanied by the promulgation throughout the world of freedom, democracy and social and religious liberty for all races and creeds. Let us resolve that our coming victory over our enemies will bring about the end, for all time, of religious and racial persecution and mark the beginning of a new era in human relations.”