Reports That USSR Intends to Eliminate Head Tax Unfounded. Say Two Jewish Leaders, Israeli Political

Two Jewish leaders here and political circles in Israel described as unfounded today reports that easing and eventual elimination of the exit fees for educated Jews leaving the Soviet Union were imminent. Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, director of Interreligious Affairs for the American Jewish Committee, said that talks with officials in the Nixon administration and the State Department had convinced him there was no reason to believe the reports.

Jerry Goodman, executive director of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, said “We have no information of any significant shift in policy on emigration In general and fees in particular” Reports of progress on the exit fees are “exaggerated and distorted,” Goodman stated.

These views were confirmed today by Israeli political circles in Jerusalem who rejected rumors that Soviet authorities have eased up on the exorbitant visa fees. But they expressed hope that under mounting international pressure, the USSR would find a way to reduce the fees without losing face. According to the circles, the rumors about the head tax were deliberately spread by Soviet authorities in response to the negative reaction of world opinion. The objective was to mislead the public and weaken the protests, the circles said.

GOLDMANN, STEIN, HOPE FOR CHANGE

Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Jewish Congress, said In Zurich last night that there might be “a reasonable hope” that the Soviet government will change its position on the visa tax. He said the hope stemmed from “the opposition to the tax by the American and other governments and their willingness to exercise their influence in this respect,” Dr. Goldmann, delivering the keynote address at a closed session of the WJC’s European Executive, said efforts to get the visa tax withdrawn “require patience and a continuous response of protest, both daring and yet responsible. It cannot be left to extremist elements.”

Jacob Stein, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, was quoted over the weekend as claiming that according to “sources that I believe to be authoritative,” there was “hopeful movement on the question of Soviet ransom tax and that this movement is reflected in those applying for exit visas, who would normally be subject to the tax, being advised to hold off pending clarification of regulations.”

‘COMPLETE SKEPTICISM’ ABOUT TAX REPORTS

In remarks today and in similar comments yesterday on his weekly broadcast on WINS Radio, Rabbi Tanenbaum said that “according to the high-level sources I talked to, one should approach these reports with complete skepticism.” He said “the only test of Soviet intention is Soviet notion” and “we can only Judge by what actually happens.” He urged the Jewish community to continue mobilizing “increased and widespread support” for denial of most favored nation status for the USSR while the head tax remains.

Goodman, referring to Stein’s remarks this weekend and similar comments to a Presidents Conference meeting last Thursday, said that Stein “wanted to be optimistic and hopeful,” Just as “we all want to be hopeful.” He added that Stein apparently based his “hopeful” prognosis on individual cases rather than on the picture as a whole. Stein was not immediately available for comment.