Jackson Says His Amendment is 25 Years Overdue

Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D.Wash.) declared that when the Soviet Union comes to the U.S. to supply its technological and agricultural needs, “we have a right to ask of them, not for ourselves but for mankind, to live up to the declaration that provides for the night of a citizen to leave and return to his own country.” Jackson was referring to the amendment to the East-West Trade Bill that bears his name. He said that the Jackson Amendment was in fact “25 years overdue” because its principles are contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations a quarter century ago.

Jackson spoke at a luncheon of the Washington, D.C. chapter of the American Jewish Committee which presented him with its annual Isaiah Award for the pursuit of justice. The luncheon, at the Mayflower Hotel, was attended by more than 600 persons, nearly triple the number that normally attend. The guests included Patrick Cardinal O’Boyle, D.C. Mayor Walter Washington and Israeli Ambassador Simcha Dinitz who read a cable from Premier Golda Meir hailing Jackson as “a staunch friend of Israel.” Jackson drew prolonged applause when author Herman Wouk, luncheon chairman, referred to the Senator as “Perhaps the person to lead this nation in supreme office.”

The Senator elicited laughter when he noted that the luncheon had drawn the attention of Tass, the Soviet news agency, which, he said, identified the AJ Committee as “one of the leading reactionary Zionist organizations in the United States.” The Jackson Amendment will come before the Senate Finance Committee next month. Identical legislation embodied in the Mills-Vanik bill, was overwhelmingly adopted by the House last month. Meanwhile, Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum (D.Ohio) became yesterday the 78th sponsor of the Jackson Amendment.