American Jewish Committee Calls for Fight on Communism As Part of Civil Rights Drive

The executive committee of the American Jewish Committee, wound up its two-day session here, following adoption of a resolution stating that the protection and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights cannot be accomplished without combatting and eradicating the “menace of Communism” in the United States. The 100 members of the executive body centered their discussions around the problem of fighting Communism.

Irving M. Engel, chairman of the executive committee, declared that “active support of democratic ideals and principals requires forthright actions against the threatening menaces to these very principles, namely, communism and the tactics of the Communist Party members and fellow travelers.”

Irving H. Saypol, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, stressed that “loyalty to the fundamental basis of Judaism requires all Jews to stand with the vanguard in the struggle against totalitarianism. Our attitude as Americans,” he declared, “should be positive and vigorous against communism. Let all of us lead the attack against this common foe of America.”

Mrs. Caroline K. Simon, one of the five members of the New York State Commission Against Discrimination, charged that Communists had adopted a formula for exploiting racial and religious tensions which was designed “to fuse in the public mind the word ‘Communist’ with the names of minority groups.”

The executive also endorsed Secretary of State Dean Acheson’s recommendations to the United Nations deisgned to increase the effectiveness of United Nations action against aggression. Mr. Saypol, former Judge Simon H. Rifkind and Win Nathanson, all of New York, were elected to the executive committee.