The American Jewish Committee and the World Jewish Congress today lodged protests against the showing of the disputed British motion picture, “Oliver Twist,” in the American zone of Germany.
In a message to Col. Cordon Textor, chief of the U.S. Information Services in the American zone who granted permission for the showing of the film, Dr. John Slawson, executive vice-president of the American Jewish Committee, urged that “Oliver Twist” be barred “as all authoritative observers agree that this picture incites anti-Semitism.” Exhibiting the film now, Dr. Slawson’s message said, “would be a tragic error.”
The World Jewish Congress, in a message to Gen. Luoius D. Clay, U.S. commander in Europe, signed by Dr. Robert S. Marcus, W.J.C. political director, urged him to revoke Textor’s order permitting the showing of the film. “Indefensible as Colonel Textor’s stand may be in the light of the film’s obviously anti-Semitic characterization of Fagin, it is completely inexplicable in view of the indefinite postponement of release of the production in the United States,” the Congress said.
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