Representatives of national Jewish organizations voiced gratification today at the Hull proposal and pledged to cooperate in every way to accomplish its aim of facilitating emigration of refugees from Austria and Germany.
Officials who commented enthusiastically on the plan included Joseph C. Hyman, executive director of the Joint Distribution Committee; charles J. Liebman, vice-president of the Refugee Economic Corporation; Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, president of the American Jewish Congress; Alfred M. Cohen, president of B’nai B’rith, and Robert P. Goldman, president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.
In a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Mr. Hyman said: “We are gratified at the announcement of the State Department. The Joint Distribution Committee will be ready and anxious to do its part in whatever way it can in carrying out the humanitarian intentions expressed by Secretary Hull.”
Rabbi Wise declared that “Christian and Jewish organizations alike, officially and voluntarily, will of course cooperate in the fullest measure in any course of action that may be devised by the conference which Secretary Hull summoned.”
From Cincinnati, Mr. Cohen wired B’nai B’rith’s gratitude to Mr. Hull “on inaugurating a movement to open the gates of many countries so that they may become asylums for the bitterly persecuted in Germany and Austria,” and pledged the organization’s cooperation “in every step aimed to effectuate that humane end.” At the same time, he wired to Paul Baerwald, chairman of the J.D.C., pledging “everything within its ability to the J.D.C. in whatever it may decide to do in behalf of the Jews in America to accomplish the end sought by Secretary Hull.”
Mr. Cohen immediately instructed seven B’nai B’rith district presidents in America to form a national committee to enable the organization to fulfill its pledge of cooperation.
Mr. Hull’s proposal was described in a wire by Mr. Goldman as “inspiring and encouraging to all who believe in political freedom and the spiritual values in life.” Mr. Goldman offered his organization’s “cooperation in any possible way to attain your humanitarian objective.”
In a statement to the J.T.A., Mr. Liebman declared: “It is heartening for me as an American to learn that our Government has taken leadership in helping to alleviate the lot of these unfortunate and harassed men, women and children.”
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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.
