Drive for Laws to Bar Race Discrimination Urged at Jewish Congress Parley

A nation-wide drive for legislation to prevent racial discrimination and spreading of race hatred was urged today by speakers at a luncheon of the Legislative Action Committee of the Women’s Division of the American Jewish Congress at the Park-Central Hotel, at which there was announced formation of a Congress Legislative Committee, headed by Justice Nathan D. Perlusn.

Assemblymen Robert F. Wagner Jr. urged that “the existing laws guaranteeing equality to all be strictly enforced and that additional legislation be enacted to prevent existing discrimination, with the proper penalties enacted against those who would foment racial hate and who commit acts of discrimination.

State Senator Daniel Gutman, who was co-author with Wagner of bills in the last Legislature to penalize discrimination in public works, insurance and banking, laid blame for the defeat of the measures at “the feet of the majority party members who control committees and who refuse to permit the chosen representatives of the people to consider and vote upon our proposals.”

The Legislative Committee, comprising representatives of the Congress’s various divisions, will seek (1) enactment of legislation to combat anti-democratic forces in this country, (2) defeat of legislation affecting non-citizens which is “not in keeping with American traditions,” (3) enactment of laws to prevent discrimination in employment.

Other speakers were Mrs. Stephen S. Wise, president of the Women’s Division; Miss Milly Brandt, chairman of the Women’s Division’s Legislative Action Committee; Read Lewis, director of the Common Council for American Unity; Deputy Attorney General Ruth Warters, Miss Anna Lord Strauss of the League of Women Voters and Roy Tozier of the Friends of Democracy.