J.D.C. Refuses to Accept Czech Explanations of Jordan’s Death

Louis Broido, chairman of the Joint Distribution Committee, issued a statement today emphasizing that “it is absolutely impossible for us to accept the explanations of the Czechoslovak Government concerning the death of Charles H. Jordan.”

“When we heard yesterday that the autopsy on Mr. Jordan was to be performed at 7 a.m.,” Mr. Broido stated, “we requested a delay until the arrival of Prof. Bernard Hardmeyer. deputy director of the Legal and Medical Institute of Zurich, Switzerland and Dr. Alexander Gonik, head of the JDC medical department in Geneva. The fact the Czechs refused to delay the autopsy, we find to be a highly suspicious circumstance, so suspicious that we cannot escape the conclusion that the Czech Government is covering up a vile crime, of which they must have had knowledge.

“In view of the implications contained in some of the reports, I want to state that I spoke with Charles Jordan in Israel less than two weeks ago. At that time, we discussed a number of future JDC programs and special programs. Mr, Jordan then showed a lively and vital interest in them. In addition, a number of his friends as well as the JDC staff have received postcards, mailed by him from Prague on the very day he disappeared. These postcards sound normal and cheerful.

“In view of the circumstances of Mr. Jordan’s death, we are sending to Prague today as our representative Mr. Seymour Rubin, counsel for the JDC. Mr. Rubin is a former general counsel of the Agency for International Development, and as a former assistant legal advisor to the Department of State he undertook a number of missions for the late President Kennedy, with the rank of Special Ambassador. Mr. Rubin is now in private practice in Washington.

“We in JDC are determined to pursue every investigation with the cooperation of our State Department until we have determined precisely what took place. We owe this to the memory of a great and good humanitarian,” Mr. Broido concluded.