Jewish authorities today applanded a statement made yesterday by Gen. Lucius D. Clay, American commander in German, rebuking a German minister for charging that the displaced Jews were responsible for Germany’s vast black market.
“Such a charge makes no sense at all,” Gen. Clay told a parley of German ministers in the American zone, meeting in Stuttgart. Declaring that “you know who is responsible for the black market,” he asserted that it was unfair of the Germans to try to rid themselves of the blame. Such statements by German officials lessen the chances of tolerance and understanding, he added.
The General’s remarks were obviously aimed at Bavarian Minister of Economics Pudolph Zorn, who several months ago made the charge. Jewish leaders immediately challenged Zorn, but this is the first indication of official American opinion on the charge.
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