Opposition to Head Tax Continues

Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D. Wash.) served notice on the Soviet Union today that the recent publication in Moscow of the regulations governing the education head tax applied to Jewish and other emigrants, will not deter the sponsors of the Jackson Amendment to the East-West Trade Act.

Jackson, whose amendment would deprive the USSR of most favored nation status and other U.S. trade concessions as long as it continues to impose restrictions on emigration, called the published regulations “totally unacceptable as a response to the concern expressed in the Jackson Amendment.”

He declared that “Soviet policy remains one of great and capricious cruelty. So long as emigration is prevented by ransom taxes and other measures, we will use the votes we have to amend the appropriate trade bill,” he said.

The Jackson Amendment, and an identical measure introduced in the House by Rep. Charles Vanik (D.Ohio) were not acted on when Congress adjourned last year. The amendments are expected to be re-submitted early in the current Congressional term. It was understood that Sen. Jackson and his associates are waiting either for a formal presentation of the new U.S.-Soviet trade agreement to the Senate for ratification or for definite knowledge of the agreement’s provisions before renewing action on the amendment.

Publication of the Soviet education tax regulations, originally promulgated by the Supreme Soviet last Aug, was believed to have been intended to make the exit fees more acceptable to opponents in the West. Modifications were introduced gearing the payments to the number of years holders of academic degrees have worked in their field and exempting pensioners and disabled veterans from payment.