Jewish Congress to Probe Bias in So. American Lands

A special committee to investigate anti-Semitic propaganda in Central and South American countries has been named by the American Jewish Congress administrative committee, it was announced today.

The action was taken after Manuel Graiver, special representative of the Palestine Foundation Fund in Latin America, had brought the congress a plea from 15 Jewish communities for help in stemming anti-Semitism.

The committee comprises Louis J. Gribetz, attorney, chairman; Louis Lande, Judge Joseph Siegler of Newark, Rabbi Morton Berman, Abraham Goldberg and Harold S. Budner.

Describing anti-Semitism in the commercial and educational fields, Mr. Graiver said the Nazis were behind the anti-Jewish campaign. He described the propaganda as including dissemination of news to provincial papers by the German Transocean Agency, radio broadcasts in praise of “Aryan” laws and veiled attacks through members of the clergy linking Jews and Communism.

He reported anonymous anti-Semitic leaflets were distributed among peasants and youths and illustrated journals and brochures against the Jews were circulated among Government officials. This type of propaganda, he said, influenced officials to advocate tightening of immigration laws.

Propaganda in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico was particularly strong under the Nazi influence, Mr. Graiver declared.

The Costa Rican Jews transmitted through him an appeal for American Jewry’s intercession. He said the entire press there had begun agitating for isolation of the Polish-Jewish community and for creation of special laws prohibiting peddling—-the source of livelihood of many Jews.

A new decree issued in Costa Rica will mean the closing of Jewish immigration, he said. Under it, persons desiring to bring their families into the country must post 5,000-colon bonds. The regulation is directed against the Polish Jews, Mr. Graiver held.