Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Jewish Congress, and Prof. Andre Mayer, of the Consultative Council of Jewish Organizations, joined this weekend in calling for greater action in the field of human rights. They made their pleas to the international conference of non-governmental organizations gathered here under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council to study means of eradicating prejudice and discrimination.
Summing up his position, Dr. Goldmann told the delegates of 97 organizations from every part of the world that “more action and less resolutions” is needed in the fight against prejudice and discrimination. “Despite the great work being done by the non-governmental organizations in the field of human rights, they are not taken seriously by governments.”
The non-governmental organizations must go further and must not be afraid of becoming nuisances to governments, he counselled. In the form of a draft resolution, he recommended the establishment of a permanent body–consisting of those organizations with consultative status with the Economic and Social Council which are able and willing to serve–to set up machinery for the consideration of complaints from groups which are victims of discrimination.
“The body shall make suitable arrangements, under appropriate procedures and safeguards, and shall make available panels of responsible persons of high public repute to hold public hearings of, and report on, serious complaints of discrimination on grounds of race, sex, language or religion,” the draft proposed. “The tribunal will not have legal or binding power,” Dr. Goldmann said, but it would be a great moral influence.
“We live in a world where public relations is a vast, new science. We must do something to break through the noise and bring this vital question to public attention,” he insisted. “What is essential is not more resolutions, but more action.” Directing his remarks at hesitant delegates, Dr. Goldmann said: “Those who wish only to advise and consult are like jurists. Jurists are defenders of the status quo, not protagonists of progress.”
PROF. MAYER, KLUTZNICK PRESENT THEIR VIEWS AT CONFERENCE
Prof. Mayer called for more systematic consultation between the non-governmental organizations and United Nations agencies in the field of human rights. He proposed that the current conference continue its existence in the future and hold periodic meetings. He suggested the election of a committee to organize such periodic conferences and prepare agendas for them.
Philip Klutznick, president of B’nai B’rith and representative of the Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations at this parley, declared that a code of international law based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is essential in the fight against prejudice and discrimination.
He charged that the Soviet Union was one country where redress against violation of personal liberty is impossible without such international legislation, and cited as examples the labeling of Zionism as a criminal offense and the suppression of Yiddish newspapers in the Communist countries. Mr. Klutznick cautioned that law must be backed up by popular acceptance if a complete answer to the problem of overcoming prejudice is to be developed.
Earlier this week-end, Dr. Goldmann and Kr. Klutznick were elected vice-presidents of the conference. Ten such vice-presidents were named.
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