The true situation of the displaced Jews in Germany, Austria and Italy is not thoroughly understood in this country, representatives of the Central Committee of Liberated Jews in Germany and Italy declared at a meeting with leaders and delegates of the American Jewish Conference here last night.
The representatives of the displaced Jews–Dr. Boris Pliskin, Leon Retter, Horbert Wolheim of Germany, and Leo Bernstein of Italy, asserted that “the homeless Jews who have been residing in camps for the past twenty months have becone an organized, well-disciplined, politically mature community which plays a leading role in the struggle for Jewish national survival. This small remnant of decimated European Jewry has become a dynamic power in the political struggle for a new Jewish life in Palestine and the survival of the Jewish people.
“To help them achieve this goal, a strong united political front must be established in the United States,” they said in a joint statement. “We want united action on the part of all political forces in America which will make it possible for us to leave Europe’s bloodsoaked soil. We appseal to you, American Jews, to abandon separatist politics, which can only bring chaos and result in harm to our cause.
“A well-planned campaign for immigration involving all groups can bring favorable results. Disparate activities may cause counter-reactions and the consolidation of all unsympathetic groups and thus jeopardize the entire undertaking. Therefore, brothers, cease toying with our tzores! More unity and discipline. We are not and do not care to be the objects of differing ‘actions.’ When the time comes for a decision to be made regarding our fate, please be careful. We, who have undergone this tragedy and have been tested in its fire, plead for consultation.”
The chairman of the meeting, Samuel Rothstein, declared that the American Jewish Conference approved the statement of the delegation and called attention to the fact that the American Jewish Conference supports the Citizen’s Committee on Displaced Persons, headed by Earl Harrison, which seeks legislation making all unused quota permits available for displaced persons of all faiths. He also defined the Conference role in the movement to open the gates of Palestine to displaced Jews.
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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.
