Enactment at this session of Congress of an enforceable fair employment practices law was urged today separately by the American Jewish Committee and by the National Community Relations Advisory Council, in testimony before a special House Subcommittee on Labor which is holding hearings on proposed fair employment legislation.
Lewis H. Weinstein, chairman of the National Community Relations Advisory Council, testified on behalf of the six national Jewish organizations and 60 Jewish community relations councils throughout the United States affiliated with the NCRAC. The six national organizations for whom he spoke are: American Jewish Congress, Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish War Veterans of the U.S. Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and the United Synagogue of America. Dr. Joachim Prinz, president of the American Jewish Congress, is scheduled to appear separately before the subcommittee tomorrow.
Pointing to the “thousands of pages of testimony” submitted by “hundreds of witnesses” who have testified at Congressional hearings on fair employment practice bills since 1944, Mr. Weinstein declared: “The question before this Committee would seem to be not why should such legislation be enacted by the present Congress, but rather what possible reasons can there be for not enacting it?”
CHARGES WIDESPREAD ‘SUBTLY DISGUISED’ JOB DISCRIMINATION AGAINST JEWS
The NCRAC leader pointed out that the Republican Party platform, as early as 1944, pledged “establishment by Federal legislation of a Fair Employment Practice Commission, ” and that, as late as 1960, the Democratic Party platform contained a similar pledge. He charged widespread and often subtly disguised job discrimination against Jews. This discrimination is outweighed by discrimination against Negroes, he added; and he said that the Jewish organizations he represented would be concerned even if there were no anti-Jewish discrimination in employment.
“As Jews, ” said Mr. Weinstein, “we are committed by immemorial tradition to a deep regard for the sanctity and inviolability of the individual person. From this tradition we derive a special concern for the preservation of human rights. This concern is to us an expression of faith and of a venerable cultural heritage, Even if Jews enjoyed full equality, therefore, we would still be concerned about discrimination against any group on grounds of race, color, religion, or origin.”
The American Jewish Committee submitted to the hearings a statement saying that Federal action on fair employment is made necessary despite legislation on the books of many stats by the fact that “every study undertaken since World War II has found that discrimination in employment is widespread.” The statement was signed by Ely M. Aaron, chairman of the AJC’s civil rights and civil liberties committee.
Mr. Aaron’s statement pointed out that 28 states now have anti-bias public accommodations laws; nine states bar discrimination in the sale of rental of private houses; and 20 states have fair employment practices laws.
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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.
