NCRAC. Urges Parties to End U.S. Acceptance of Arab Boycott

The National Community Relations Advisory Council, representing six national and 51 local community relations, agencies, called today upon both political parties and their presidential candidates to pledge "effective action" to end the American Government’s acquiescence in Arab discrimination against American citizens because of their religion.

The organization, concluding its annual plenary session, protested government policy of screening American military and diplomatic personnel according to religion before assignment to Arab states, of acquiescing in Arab refusal to honor American passports carried by Jews, and in sanctioning expulsion of Jews from employment by American firms in the Middle East.

In a resolution adopted today, the NCRAC condemned these practices, and called all agencies of government "to refuse to yield to the religious or racial prejudice of foreign countries in the hiring or placement of American personnel, " The resolution lauded the New York courts for their ruling in the ARAMCO case.

In another resolution, the session noted "with shame and dismay that the United States Government has submitted to the Arab boycott of ships touching at Israel ports, " It urged President Eisenhower to act under the recent Congressional amendment to the Mutual Security Act, authorizing him to deny economic aid to states practicing economic warfare against others and thus "support the rights of American shippers to trade freely in all national ports, and in particular to assure the right of American shippers to deal with their own Government in respect to transportation of American military supplies and surplus commodities without interference by Arab governments."

The resolution called on both political parties and their candidates to commit themselves to seek an end to the Arab boycott, and urged American firms to resist it "by every legal means," The session took cognizance of activities by Arab consular and diplomatic officials "in open abuse of their diplomatic status" in spreading "anti-Jewish canards and distortions" in every section of the country. It said this material was reflected by private organizations such as the American Friends of the Middle East, pledged a fight against this activity, and urged the Government to ensure that Arab officials were not "sowing the seeds of hatred" in contravention of their legitimate functions."

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE,B’NAI B’RITH URGED TO RETURN TO MEMBERSHIP

A strong bid to the American Jewish Committee and the B’nai B’rith to return to membership in the NCRAC was voiced at the concluding session of the conference by Lewis H. Weinstein, Boston attorney, who was elected chairman, succeeding Judge David L. Unman, of Philadelphia.

Mr.Weinstein said the absence of these two organizations had "been deplored for years. " We constantly kept the door open for their return, " he declared. "We must new intensify and redouble our efforts to this end."

The new president told the session that "the over-riding interests of the whole Jewish community demand that all who share in the responsibility for Jewish community relations should be represented at the common table, at which policies are formulated and programs planned. " He pledged that "the "issues of equality and justice and freedom, that press upon us, we shall continue to deal with in accord with our commitments to Jewish values and the American idea."

Louis Feinmark of New Haven, Julian Freeman of Indianapolis, Marcus Ginsburg of Ft. Worth, Aaron Goldman of Washington and Judge Isaac Pacht of Los Angeles were elected vice-chairmen. Echel T. Feinstein, of St. Louis was chosen secretary; and Joseph Yaffe, of Philadelphia, treasurer.

ANNES OPPOSES ‘NEW LEGISLATION ON ANTI-SEMITISM, RELICS ON BILL OF RIGHTS

Paul G. Annes, co-chairman of the governing council of the American Jewish Congress, took issue with some delegates who recommended additional legal weapons to combat what they described as a rise in anti-Semitism.

Mr.Annes strongly criticized these proposals, and took the position that "the safety and security of the Jewish community rests upon the preservation of the Bill of Rights. " He said that, in the long run, the security of American Jews is more likely to be endangered by impairments and evasions of the Bill of Rights than by allowing "the Rockwells to rant and rav. He was referring to George Lincoln Rockwell,Arlington,Va.,who has been denied a permit in New York for a Fourth of July rally under the banner of the American Nazi Party.

Dealing with anti-Semitic manifestations in the United States, the session noted that the recent swastika plague was the "result of a wave of contagious imitation by youths, many in their early teens, seeking outlets for their generalized aggressive attitudes toward society, but warned it would be "unwise to look upon these incidents as merely isolated expressions of comparatively unimportant and passing significance."

Another resolution called on schools and textbooks publishers to make youth aware of Nazi crimes and the dangers of prejudice. It urged immediate action to establish a permanent Federal commission to gather information on anti-Semitism and other hate activities.

RELIGIOUS TEST FOR PUBLIC OFFICE OPPOSED, CHURCH-STATE SEPARATION STRESSED

In still another resolution the NCRAC plenum stressed that there must be no religious test of public office, and opposed appeals to religious, ethnic or racial prejudices. The organization pledged itself to work for the creation of fair election practices groups throughout the nation. It reaffirmed the principles of separation of Church and State, with special reference to religious practices and observances in the public schools.

The conference hit the failure of both parties to carry out pledges made over the past eight years for substantial revision of immigration laws. It noted that, while President Eisenhower has proposed revisions, he submitted them too late and, failed to exert executive leadership that might have brought about their enactment. This resolution called on both parties to renew and fulfill their pledges by enactment in the 87th Congress of legislation to replace the discriminatory national origins quota system with an equitable, non-discriminatory formula; eliminate the deportation provision of the law, except for fraudulent entry; correct distinctions favoring native-born over naturalized citizens; and establish fair-appeals procedures in immigration and nationality questions.

A series of resolutions covered a wide range of civil rights questions, which had been extensively discussed during the four-day sessions. One resolution endorsed and applauded "sit-in" moves, seeking by non-violent means to obtain equality of treatment by retail stores and other establishments, and affirmed the justice of the demands of the "sit-in" movements. Other resolutions called on both parties to enact legislation to strengthen the executive branch so as to eliminate discriminatory practices, and asked President Eisenhower to use his authority and moral prestige to this effect.