(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The numerus clausus modification bill, which changes the form but retains the discrimination against Jewish students in Hungarian universities and colleges, has become a law.
The Upper Chamber passed the Government bill in its third reading today, cotwithstanding the previously announced intention of the Government to continue the discussion in the Senate until the end of the week. The reason for the sudden termination of the discussion is obviously due to the fact that the many attacks upon the Government policy of discrimination voiced by the leading spirits of the Hungarian upper chamber were extremely painful to the Bethlen Government. The bill was passed in the third reading by a vote of 70 to 30.
During the debate preceding the vote new attacks on the measure were made. A particular impression was made by the address of Count Johann Hadiks, who declared that he will vote against the bill because it introduces into Flungary a caste system in education instead of allowing merit, character, diligence and knowledge to have free play. No culture is possible without the freedom of study and education, he stated.
Baron Elemer von Simontsits polemized sharply with Count Teleki’s defense of the numerus clausus. Count Teleki’s argument is based on what one might term “bread anti-Semitism.” It is not true, he stated, that the Christian youth has no opportunity because of the Jews. The Jews in Hungary have never driven out the Christians from commerce and industry. It was the Hungarian Christians who considered it to be “shameful” to engage in commerce and industry.
Von Pap, president of the Bar Association, spoke against the measure, declaring that the numerus clausus humiliates and insults Hungarian Jewry. It is therefore an anti-state law and contrary to the constitution.
The numerus clausus was defended only by Count Esterhazi and Count Szechenyi. They argued that “there is no justice in subjugating 94 percent of Christians to 4 percent Jews.”
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