Premier Karl Renner of Austria today pledged that Nazis would be eliminated from leading positions in industry and trade, following receipt of a protest from the Jewish Chamber of Commerce that the bulk of Austrian business was still controlled by Hitlerites. He also promised that new elections would soon be held in the commercial and industrial associations of the country.
The chamber of commerce charged that Jewish survivors of concentration camps were still unable to establish any industry or engage in trade because they were being denied licenses by the various associations. It also pointed out that Nazis were occopying luxurious apartments, while Jews and other repatriated deportees and former escape victims were unable to secure any housing.
In response to a request for a list of Nazis still in official posts, the president of the chamber of commerce, Aaron Ehrlich submitted to the Premier hundreds of (##). Seventy percent of the food stores in Austria and at least 80 percent of the clothing industry is still in the hands of former Nazis, Mr. Ehrlich charged.
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