Joint Statement by Roosevelt and Churchill on Jewish Plight Demanded by Congressman

A suggestion that Prime Minister Churchill’s presence in the United States be utilized by President Roosevelt and by Mr. Churchill for the issuance of a joint statement on the Jewish sufferings in Nazi Europe, was advanced here by Congressman Arthur G. Klein of New York in a lengthy review of the Nazi atrocities against Jews inserted in the Congressional Record.

“The time for complacency if, since the advent of Hitler, it should ever have existed, is gone,” Congressman Klein said. “An entire people are being systematic cally slaughtered and destroyed. Public opinion should be aroused to such an extent that some immediate action will be instituted by our Government in conjunction with our allies to save the lives of these remaining unfortunate Jews, who are destined to be murdered like cattle unless some forthright evidence of official indignation is forthcoming.

“If, while Mr. Churchill is here in Washington, a joint statement were issued by our great President and the great Prime Minister of England, condemning these atrocities, and stating that official action would soon be instituted, it would not only give heart to those of us here at home who are so vitally interested, but would revive the hope and faith of those poor suffering people who are so hopeless at present. It would also serve notice on the Nazi brutes that the civilized peoples of the world will not condone or forgive their brutal action toward an innocent minority, and that retribution will surely follow. Some such official action will, I am sure, have a startling and salutary effect in easing the situation somewhat, so that final plans for the evacuation of, at least, some of these unfortunates, may be made.”

Touching upon the Bermuda Conference, Congressman Klein declared that the apparent purpose of this conference “was not even to discuss the Jewish dilemma.” He pointed to the fact that the official communiques of the conference did not even mention the word “Jew.”

“The conference,” he stated,” did not have the power or the authority to take any action other than to advise their respective governments of their ‘explorations.’ They could not do anything ‘now’ toward alleviating the terrible plight of the millions of Jews facing destruction in the immediate future. They could not do anything ‘now’ about feeding the millions of starving Jews in the ghettos of Europe. Nor could they do anything ‘now’ about bringing out of the hell-hole of Nazi-occupied Europe, some of the thousands of young and innocent children whose lives could still be saved, and who could still be rehabilitated.”