Demands for immigration restrictions and charges that alien merchants and artisans were engaged in “illegal” competition with native business men were voiced in the Chamber of Deputies today in the course of a debate on the Economics Ministry budget.
Joining in the anti-aliens attack were the Catholic deputy Baillon, the Liberal Motz, the Flemish Nationalist Timmermans and the Rexist Horward. Horward and Timmermans specifically attacked the Jews, the latter declaring they were unassimilable whether or not they were naturalized. They demanded measures against the “disintegrating Jewish influence” and urged prohibition of shechita, Jewish ritual method of slaughtering animals.
Chamber President Camille Huysmans, interrupting Timmermans, termed anti-Semitism “moral cowardice,” but agreed that Jewish propaganda for a Nazi boycott was ill-advised and might harm the port of Antwerp. Deputy Frenssen, of Antwerp, wholeheartedly defended the Jews and denounced anti-Semitism. Economics Minister G. Sap (Catholic), without touching on the aliens problem, recommended consideration of the proposals.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
