Massachusetts Legislature Urged to Act on Arab Boycott of U.s.citizens

A petition to both houses of the Massachusetts Legislature, the Senate and House of Representatives, requesting the Legislature to recommend to the United States Department of State that it resist Arab interference in the affairs of American citizens, and to end Arab boycotts affecting Americans, was presented to the State’s legislature here by Allan R. Zenowitz, of Great Barrington.

The petition would have the State of Massachusetts recommend that the State Department take a firm position “against any Arab interference in the conduct of the affairs of American citizens and businessmen. ” It would request that the U.S.Government: Abstain from any accommodation to Arab League boycott activities and policies, whether passive or overt; to resist any efforts by any Arab nations to maintain or widen its boycott activities in the United States; and to exert all possible efforts and utilize its resources to the fulfillment of the spirit and purpose of these resolutions.”

The petition was considered here by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Constitutional Law, which heard testimony on the subject from Herbert H. Ehrmann, chairman of the executive board of the American Jewish Committee. Criticizing the State Department sharply, Mr Ehrmann told the committee: “The passport of our country, the flag of our nation, the uniform of our military forces, have been debased and degraded by the unwillingness of the State Department to do what the Congress has repeatedly requested. ” He urged the committee to vote its approval of the Zenowitz petition. Six other states have already adopted resolutions similar to the one sought in the Zenowitz petition.