In a stormy four-hour concluding session of their state-wide convention, delegates of the Sons of Italy Grand Lodge, Inc., today shouted down resolutions condemning persecution of Jews in Italy and took their only action on this question by approving the annual message of the newly-reelected Grand Master Samuel Modica, which contained a mildly disapproving reference to persecution of Jews. in general.
A resolution introduced by Philip Bongiorno, a New York attorney, assailing the oppress on and “cruel and barbaric discriminatory measures” against the Jews of Italy stirred an uproar among the 200 delegates and it was not brought to a vote. A second resolution introduced by New York City Councilman Salvatore Ninfo suffered a similar fate, as did a third, which contained no direct reference to Italy.
In the heated debate on these resolutions, some delegates of this important Italo American fraternal organization, which has from 30,000 to 40,000 members — meeting in the build no of the Italian an Civic Association which was formerly for 40 years a synagogue — said that persecute on of Jews was justified on the ground that they were exploiters, that they had opposed Italy in the Ethiopian war and that they were “killing” Arabs in Palestine.
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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.
