Jewish Vets Plan to Call on Kennedy to Quash Nasser’s Missile Potential

The opening of the 68th annual national convention of the Jewish War Veterans of the U. S. A. here today was marked by submission of a resolution calling on President Kennedy to remain consistent to the spirit of the nuclear test ban treaty, by halting steps to proliferate the rocket race in the Near East which would build Egypt’s missile potential.

W. Averell Harriman, Undersecretary of State and negotiator of the partial test ban treaty with the Soviet Union, will find himself faced by a convention stirred by this aspect of the world missile problem when he delivers the convention’s keynote address on Wednesday.

While strongly supporting President Kennedy’s nuclear safeguard concept, JWV delegates have drafted a resolution questioning the wisdom of a pending agreement between the U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration or a U. S. military agency with Egypt to build up the country’s military power. The JWV cited reports that President Nasser of Egypt has opened secret talks with American officials for the training of Egyptian scientists in aerospace and electronic technology and for other steps to improve Egypt’s rocket potential.

The proposed resolution said that the nuclear test ban treaty would be “undermined and doomed before the signatories ink has dried if the United States collaborates with Nasser, along with the Soviet bloc and the ex-Nazis of Germany, in contributing to a Near Eastern rocket race.”

If Nasser is sincerely devoted to the test ban aims, said the proposed JWV resolution, “let them first show good faith by keeping his word on Yemen and other unkept pledges. Let him talk peace with Israel and comply with United Nations resolutions.”

ROLE OF RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS ON AGENDA; 5,000 FROM 500 POSTS EXPECTED

In addition to questioning Nasser’s sincerity, the veterans noted Nasser is pressing ahead to build rockets to deliver nuclear bombs as soon as he achieves their manufacture. They thought the United States should do nothing in “facilitating the aggressive designs of an irresponsible dictator.”

National Commander Morton London personally discussed Near Eastern threats arising from Nasser’s rocket program when he met at the White House with President Kennedy recently.

In addition to the Near Eastern problem, the convention will argue a new civil rights stand, and a position on the emergence of both white and Negro extremists who seek to exploit tensions to inject anti-Semitism.

The role of the John Birch Society and fanatics of the extreme right will be discussed at the convention by Sen. Thomas H. Kuchel, California Republican, who has warned in Congress against the rising menace from this source. Governor Richard Hughes of New Jersey will speak on the integration crisis.

The vanguard of a predicted 5,000 veterans delegated by 500 posts throughout the country began arriving here today for the week-long convention. National convention committees today began consideration of resolutions, credentials, rules, awards, rehabilitation and welfare. The JWV national constitutional convention also opened deliberations. Almost 100 resolutions will be acted upon, some certain to meet with controversy, like those in the area of civil rights.