A Jewish delegation, led by Dr. Stephen S. Wise today visited under-Secretary of State Summer Welles in an attempt to secure from the State Department clarification on the status of the Jews in Algeria, following the revocation yesterday by Gen. Giraud of the French citizenship granted Algerian Jews under the Cremieux law of 1870.
The delegation represented the American Jewish Congress and the World Jewish Congress. It pointed out that an injustice has been done to the Jews of Algeria by depriving them of their French citizenship, since now they cannot hold any except minor rank in the French Army and cannot vote in elections for delegates to the Algerian General Assembly or for deputies to the French Parliament.
It was admitted here today that Gen. Giraud’s legal position in repealing the Cremieux decree is weak, since he is abrogating a specific law of the French Republic just when he is professing to restore all of them. Adrien Tixier, head of the Fighting French delegation in this country, said that the abrogation of the Cremieux law by Gen. Giraud has created considerable confusion. He announced that he has queried Fighting French headquarters in London as to what the action of Gen. Giraud really means. “The Cremieux decree cannot be abolishes and replaced by no thing,” he said, indicating his doubts as to what political and civil rights the Jews in Algeria will now posses.
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