Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D.Wash) introduced his amendment to the East-West Trade Act on the Senate floor today and excoriated the Soviet Union for resorting to “the cruel incitement of anti-Semitic sentiments in an effort to scare off support for our amendment.” The Senator said that in submitting the measure “We are upholding our tradition of commitment to individual liberty.”
The Jackson measure has the support of 74 senators, a clear majority. No action is expected to be taken on it, however, until the Nixon Administration submits the East-West Trade Act, signed last Oct., to Congress for enactment or legislation in any form relating to U.S. trade with Eastern European Communist nations. An identical measure introduced in the House last month by Reps. Wilbur Mills (D-Ark) and Charles Vanik (D, Ohio) has the support of 270 of the 435 House members.
Jackson said the “heart” of his legislation was in the provision that the granting of most-favored-nation status and credits “are contingent” on semi-annual reports by the President to Congress that the country in question is complying with the free emigration requirement. “The Soviet Union can comply with the free emigration provision without altering its laws or statutes,” Sen. Jackson said.
He added, “Unhappily, what is permitted by law has not been allowed in practice” in the Soviet Union, the Soviet propaganda campaign “to the contrary” Referring to the education head tax. Jackson asked: “What Soviet citizen with an income of 200-300 rubles a month can be expected to pay 15-20,000 rubles to obtain an exit visa?”
WILL NOT PROHIBIT TRADE
Jackson, who submitted his amendment to the last Congress, had said that he would not re-introduce it in the new Congress until the Administration presented the East-West Trade Act and he could examine it. But he apparently changed his mind in light of the strenuous efforts being made by the Soviet Union and, in particular, by a visiting Soviet trade delegation, to mobilize opposition to the amendment, especially in the American business community.
Jackson said “The Soviets have gone to some lengths to convey the impression that the question of free emigration is essentially a Jewish issue.” Jackson said, “Their representatives, even as guests in this country, have resorted to the cruel incitement of anti-Semitic sentiments in an effort to scare off support for our amendment. Their broadcasts out of Moscow, their English language publications intended for publication here and their diplomatic representatives have been pressed into service for this most odious purpose.”
He observed that nothing in his amendment would prohibit any businessman from buying or selling to the Soviet Union. What is at issue is whether the U.S. is to extend trade concessions to the Soviet Union, Jackson said.
Sen. Jacob K. Javits (R.NY), a staunch supporter of the Jackson amendment, appealed to the Soviet Union as “a great power” to help advance detente between the two super powers on “a sound moral basis.” Javits said the amendment stemmed from “deep moral convictions” and is “advisedly accepted” by its sponsors “with no illusions as to its consequences” on Soviet-American relations. He expressed hope that the moral aspects “will appeal to a great power like the Soviet Union,” adding that the amendment was not drafted “in a spirit of defiance, confrontation or heedlessness.”
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