Congressman Frank J. Horton, New York Republican, today urged members of Congress to familiarize themselves with the treatment of Jews in the Soviet Union. Speaking in the House of Representatives, he called for continued Congressional condemnation of anti-Jewish acts in the Soviet Union.
“Let us speak out continually in condemnation of the Soviet’s denial of religious freedom,” he said. “Certainly, all Americans have an obligation to take part in this battle against intolerance and discrimination.” Concerned with apparent reticence on the part of some Washington officials in this matter, Rep. Horton added: “I believe that this Congress has a right and duty to resolve its sense of condemnation of the deplorable anti-Semitism which today exists in the Soviet Union.”
(In New York, Senator Kenneth B. Keating, Republican, tonight called on the United States to join in an “appeal to the conscience of the world” to force the Soviet Government to treat the Jews equally with other religious groups. Sen. Keating spoke at a dinner of the National Conference of Christians and Jews at the Waldorf-Astoria. Referring to a Letter of Conscience directed to the Soviet Union by 2, 000 American clergyman, he said: “The American people have taken their stand. Now it is extremely important that the United States Government put its full support behind efforts to expose and condemn the outrageous treatment of Soviet citizens of Jewish descent by their Government.”)
Rep. Seymour Halpern, New York Republican, today told the House that the World’s Fair management was responsible for the arrest of 12 leaders of the American Jewish Congress because of the Fair’s “grievous error in allowing the Jordanian pavilion to exhibit a mural offensive to so many Americans.”
Speaking on the House floor, Rep. Halpern said “the Fair’s management should have stopped this controversy at its inception by having the mural removed.” He said that officials of the Fair had adequate authority to remove “the irritating source of this dispute, citing the by-laws and regulations for exhibitors.” He charged Jordan with a “repugnant display” that violated the Fair’s theme. He said it was “bound to stir indignation and provoke such demonstrations.”
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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.
