Rev. Clinchy Says J.D.C. Activities Helped to Stem Spirit of Hitlerism

Reconstruction activities in Central and Eastern Europe supported by American Jewry through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, not only are proving to be an important factor in the economic salvation of the Jewish population of those countries, but are invaluable in stemming the spirit of Hitlerism in Europe, Rev. Everett R. Clinchy, secretary of the Committee on Good Will Between Jews and Christians of the Federal Council of Churches in Christ, declared yesterday in urging support of the present campaign under the chairmanship of Rabbi Jonah B. Wise to raise $2,500,000 to continue the work and furnish relief to the destitute.

“One of the most important results of the work,” he asserted, “is that, by its means, American Jewry, through the Joint Distribution Committee, is painting a picture in positive strokes of what the Jews really are, instead of permitting the distorted grotesque exaggerations to be scattered freely by irresponsible people. Perhaps this is the most subtle and effective means of combatting the spirit of Hitlerism in Europe.”

The reconstructive work, declared Mr. Clinchy, who recently returned from an inspection trip in Germany, Poland and Russia, is not only of economic importance, but performs a valuable function in allaying anti-Semitism by “ministering to the dignity and sense of worthfulness which must not be lost among the less fortunate Jews. This end is also served by the distribution of the Jewish population in all normal economic pursuits rather than almost complete confinement to commerce.”

Mr. Clinchy also said that the reconstruction and relief measures of the Joint Distribution Committee in Poland are regarded with approval by the Polish Government. “Government officials with whom I talked were enthusiastic about it even to the degree where they would include it in a list of national reconstruction measures of which they were very proud,” he declared.