Nailing American approval of the general claims law for the indemnification of victims of Nazism as a “victory for human and moral rights,” leaders of three Jewish organization here today wired John J. McCloy, U.S. High Commissioner for Germany, their “deep satisfaction” upon learning of his decision to approve the measure.
The telegram, sent to Mr. McCloy at the Department of State in Washington, was signed by Jacob Bluestein, president of the American Jewish Committee; Edward M.M. Warburg, chairman of the Joint Distribution Committee; and Nahum Goldman, president of the World Jewish Congress.
The three organizations are members of a committee which has been active in attempts to secure passage of the general claims law. The law provides for distribution of about 850,000,000 deutsche marks by four states in the U.S. zone of Germany to Jewish and non-Jewish sufferers under the Nazi regime. Beneficiaries, through monthly pensions and lump sum payments, will include displaced persons in Germany, Nazi victims since emigrated to other countries as well as non-Jews who were imprisoned, physically injured or robbed by the Nazis.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.