A spokesman for a group of Manhattan garment makers, most of them Jewish, confirmed today that the producers had dropped plans for a unified protest against statements last month by President Charles de Gaulle of France, which were widely denounced as anti-Israel, anti-Jewish and anti-American.
Members of a committee of 10 of the garment makers, who originally talked about launching a boycott of French fabrics, decided to register protests only as individuals. Jerry Silverman, president of the firm bearing his name, said that members of the group had talked the question over with United States Government officials, international trade executives and other officials, and that they had been advised against any boycott.
Mr. Silverman said the producers had been advised that U.S. Government trade agreements with France would be hurt by nongovernmental action. Other members of the committee said that another reason for the decision not to make a group protest was concern that it might be considered an expression of dissatisfaction by Jews against Gen. de Gaulle’s anti-Jewish statements. One member said “we are all Americans first.”
(In Paris, today, Dr. Joseph Well, honorary president of the Jewish consistory of the Lower Rhine, announced that he has returned his French Legion of Honor medal to President de Gaulle, because of the anti-Semitic remarks made by the general at his recent press conference.)
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