Inter-american Congress Will Protest Vichy’s Extending Anti-jewish Laws to Americas

Intervention with the United States State Department regarding Vichy’s extending its anti-Jewish laws to French possessions in the Western Hemisphere will be one of the immediate results of the Inter-American Jewish Conference being held here, according to a decision adopted at today’s session.

The conference will also proclaim a campaign for the establishment of a “fund for Jewish relief and reconstruction,” following the recommendation submitted to the delegates by Dr. Arieh Tartakower, General Secretary of the World Jewish Congress. According to the announcement by Tartakower the conference is expected to issue an appeal to Jewish communities the world over to immediately launch campaigns on a large scale “in order to mobilize money for this fund as one of the most important financial instruments of the organized Jewish people.”

The question of combatting Nazi-stimulated anti-Semitism in Latin-American countries was discussed at a closed session today with delegates from these countries reporting on the methods which Nazi agents use to fan anti-Jewish feelings among the local populations, which are reported as being far from anti-Semitic. The conference will appoint a special committee to work out a program of counteracting these Nazi activities.

About twenty-five percent of all civilian aid sent from the U.S.A. to Britain came from Jewish groups it was revealed today at the morning session of the parley. At another session many delegates scored the British Government for rejecting the plan for a Jewish army. The meeting heard reports on Jewish aid to Britain from the U.S.A., Canada and Palestine delivered by Rabbi Maurice Perlzweig of London, by Samuel Bronfman and Archie Bennet of Canada and by Louis Lipsky and Judge Louis E. Levinthal.

Nathan Gesang of Buenos Aires spoke on Jewish demands for Palestine while Moses Goldman, leader of the Argentine delegation, delivered an impressive report on the Jewish situation in Argentina emphasizing Jewish contributions there in the field of agriculture, science and literature. He pointed out that anti-Semitism which was unknown in Argentina in pre-Hitler times is now being imported into South America by Nazi hirelings and indicated steps which Jews in Argentina are taking to combat it. M. Regalsky of Argentina spoke on inter-American cultural relations while Jacob Hellman offered a plan for the establishment of a permanent inter-American Jewish union.

Tomorrow the delegates will be received at the White House by Mrs. Roosevelt. On Wednesday they will have an audience with Vice-President Henry Wallace, who is very much interested in Latin-American affairs.