A National Conference for Equality under Claims Legislation has been formed here to seek changes in United States legislation which excludes persons who were not United States citizens in May 1945 from receiving any kind of compensation under claims legislation for war loss or damage in various countries in Europe. The claimants include a number of Jews who settled in this country after the war.
Kurt R. Grossman, executive secretary of the new group, said that the organization was particularly concerned about Section 204 of U.S. Public Law 87-846, the so-called War Claims Act of 1962. It applies to all persons who became citizens after May 8, 1945.
He asserted that such laws create and foster “two classes of U.S. citizens in violation of sound public policy and constitutional principles as recognized by the Supreme Court.” Member groups of the conference include the American Federation of Jews from Central Europe, American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Association of Czechoslovak Jews, Association of Yugoslav Jews, the Club of Polish Jews, the Coordinating Committee of Nazi Victims Organizations, and The World Jewish Federation of Hungarian Jews.
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