References to “organizations composed largely of Jewish workers” during an attack on the Committee for Industrial Organization were deleted when the report of the American Federation of Labor’s resolutions committee appeared today.
The reference to the A.F.L.’s extending a hand to the Jews when “there were few hands willing to greet them” was withdrawn from the report on motion of John P. Frey, arch-enemy of John L. Lewis’s C.I.O. after Max Zaritsky, head of the Hatters’ Union, had criticized the section as slighting to the Jews.
Mr. Frey, declaring such things dangerous, said, “We desire to withdraw the reference so that the newspaper accounts would not be able to distort our position.” However, Matthew Woll, who had read the report yesterday, said there was no occasion to retract.
The deleted statement follows: “As for the organization, composed largely of Jewish workers, it can only be said, if we are to have the full truth, that we took them by the hand when there were few hands willing to greet them, and we have led them and builded with them and for them and protected them.
“When some of their leaders, steeped in the ideas of the Old World from whence so many of them had fled in mortal terror of their lives, used our platform to preach doctrines alien to our own belief and convictions, we still led them and protected them. They are our equals in every respect. The story of these persecuted people is too long to tell here, too filled with the gripping emotions of a half-century of affectionate relationship, of helpfulness and co-operation.
“Let them think it over in their hearts and in their homes.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
