The American Jewish Congress today called for enactment of a bill now before the House of Representatives that would make it illegal for American firms to cooperate with the Arab boycott of Israel.
The organization’s governing council, at a meeting here, urged passage of a proposal by Rep. Jonathan B. Bingham, Democrat of the Bronx, making it mandatory for American firms to refuse to supply information demanded by Arab boycott questionnaires circulated in the United States.
Stanley H. Lowell, co-chairman of AJC’s Commission on International Affairs told the meeting that passage of the Bingham bill would strengthen a measure passed by Congress in 1949. That law states that American policy is opposed to the Arab boycott because it is a restrictive trade practice against a country friendly to the United States. It requests — but does not order — businessmen to refrain from providing the Arab states with information that would assist the boycott.
Mr. Lowell noted that only two weeks ago, the Government of Jordan had blacklisted four U. S. companies because they trade with Israel. The firms are: National Steel and Tinplate Warehouse, Inc., of Pennsylvania; Jantzen, Inc., and seven of its branches; Studebaker Corp. and 14 of its branches in England, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland and the United States; and Staples and Specialties, International of New York. The concerns will no longer be allowed to do business in Jordan.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
