American Delegate Asks United Nations Body to Act on Anti-semitism

Judge Philip Halpern, the United States representative on a subcommission currently debating discrimination in the field of religious rights and practices, called on the United Nations today to act now on the current outbreaks of anti-Semitism. He told the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, that he will present a formal resolution to implement his demand for action.

The anti-Semitic outbreaks, said Judge Halpern, “are like eruptions of a volcano. But the volcano is not the problem. The problem is the subterranean stream.”

The jurist said his resolution would urge governments to engage in programs of education on the evils of racism. Furthermore, he said, he will ask the subcommission to call on governments to report “forthwith” whether such anti-Semitic occurrences had taken place in their countries, and how these manifestations were dealt with.

Judge Halpern urged that such information be sent to the Secretary General of the United Nations, who would act “as a post office” and transmit the information to all UN members “without analysis.” In the light of these reports, he said, the subcommission should examine the causes of the current outbreaks and decide on further action.

Judge Halpern told the subcommission it was essential that all nations be alerted to the fact “that this is alive issue in the United Nations, that our organization is not blind to what is going on, and that we will not stand aside again as in the past.”

At the same session of the subcommission, Dr. Isaac Lewin, representative of the Agudas Israel World Organization, expressed grave concern over the fact that “swastikas have once more appeared on Jewish houses of worship.”