Continued assistance to Israel is pledged in the Democratic Party Platform prepared today by the 19-member drafting sub-committee of the Resolutions Committee for adoption by the Democratic National Convention. The Convention will also call for the revision of the McCarran immigration law which was opposed by liberal and Jewish organizations and was condemned by President Truman as “racist.” The text of the plank on Israel and other countries in the Middle East reads:
“We seek to enlist the people of the Middle East to work with us and with each other in the development of the region, the lifting of health and living standards and the attainment of peace. We favor the development of integrated security arrangements for the Middle East and military assistance to help safeguard the independence of the countries in the area.
“We pledge continued assistance to Israel so that she may fulfill her humanitarian mission of providing shelter and sanctuary for her homeless Jewish refugees while strengthening her economic development.
“We will continue to support the tri-partite declaration of May, 1950, to encourage Israel and the Arab states to settle their differences by direct negotiation, to maintain and protect the sanctity of the Holy Places and to permit free access to them.
“We pledge aid to the Arab states to enable them to develop their economic resources and raise the living standards of their people. We support measures for the relief and reintegration of the Palestine refugees, and we pledge continued assistance to the reintegration program voted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in January, 1952.”
WANTS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN NATIVE AND NATURALIZED AMERICANS
The plank calling for revision of the McCarran immigration law emphasizes that the Democratic Party wants “no second-class citizens in free America” and is determined “to eliminate distinction between native-born and naturalized citizens.” The text reads:
“Subversive elements must be screened out and prevented from entering our land, but the gates must be left ajar for practical numbers of desirable elements from abroad whose immigration to this country provides an invigorating infusion into the stream of American life, as well as a significant contribution to the solution of the world refugee and overpopulation problems.
“We pledge revision of our immigration and naturalization laws to do away with any unjust and unfair prejudices against national groups which have contributed some of our best citizens. We are determined also to eliminate distinction between native-born and naturalized citizens. We want no second class citizens in free America.”
After a ten-hour battle within the drafting subcommittee, a compromise on the demand of liberal forces for a compulsory F.E.P.C. and for support of a cloture rule in the Senate was adopted today. Sen Herbert H. Lehman of New York, who had led the fight for a strong F.E.P.C. and cloture rule, told newsmen he had given in and accepted a compromise anti-filibuster plank. Although the text of the F.E.P.C. resolution was not available, it was said to be stronger than the F.E.P.C. plank adopted at the 1948 Democratic Convention.
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