The New York State Democratic Party called last night for revision of the McCarran-Walter Immigration Act as discriminatory in a party platform adopted at the state convention in Albany, which also-called upon the United States Government to expand its economic and technical aid to the Middle East states rather than arming them.
The Democrats demanded “elimination of all discrimination in our immigration and naturalization laws based upon race, religion or place of birth. ” They also asked “elimination of discriminatory nationality provisions which make second class citizens of naturalized aliens, a denial of the traditional concept of equal protection for all under the laws. The rights of all citizens, native-born and naturalized, must be the same,” the platform said.
On the Middle East, the Democratic platform said: “We believe that the furnishing of arms to either side is unwise until the Arab states have accepted the existence of Israel and until specific steps are taken, on both sides, toward a normal and stable relationship. We believe that the cause of peace, stability and strength–which is America’s prime concern–would best be served by expanded programs of economic aid and technical assistance to the peoples and countries of the area, to aid in the development of its natural wealth.
“If the Administration nevertheless feels it is necessary to “furnish arms to Arab states prior to concrete moves toward the achievement of a real peace and stability in the area, we urge and demand that our government should at least offer similar arrangements and arms to Israel, so that the delicate balance of power in this area remain undisturbed. “
The Republican State convention–now being held in Syracuse–adopted a platform which generally limits itself to local and state issues and takes no stand on national and international issues. It has no planks on immigration or the Middle East. On the question of discrimination, it points to the record of the Republican state administrations of the past under whose direction New York became the first state to put into operation a program of anti-discriminatory legislation in various fields.
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