Soviet Government Implicated at U.N. on Anti-jewish Charges

The Soviet Government was implicated today on charges of discriminating against Jews in an address made by a spokesman for major Jewish organizations before the United Nations Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, now in session here.

Speaking on behalf of the Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations–the coordinating body of B’nai B’rith, Board of Deputies of British Jews and the South African Board of Jewish Deputies–Dr. William Korey indicated in his address at the subcommission that Jews in the Soviet Union are denied the right of migration to other countries despite the fact that many of them seek to be united with their families abroad. He said they are virtual captives behind “walls figuratively and literally.”

The CBJO representative also implied criticism against the Soviet Union for failing to report on its emigration and immigration policies, as requested to do by the United Nations. He pointed out that only 53 governments had replied to that request. The Soviet Union is not among those 53 members.

Adhering to the subcommission’s rules, which forbid adverse criticisms of any UN member-state, Dr. Korey did not mention the USSR by name in his criticisms. However, he pointed out that, “in certain areas: There are discriminations against nationals wishing to leave the country; that religious groups are affected by general prohibitions against travel abroad; and that the moral and humanitarian principle of reunion of families” are denied–referring obviously to Russia’s forbidding of its Jews to travel to lsrael.

Making it clear he was referring to the Jews in the Soviet Union, Dr. Korey told the UN that, among those denied the right of family reunification are “the victims of the Genocide policies of the Nazis, ” including “persons who have a natural desire to leave in order to join with the few in their families who had survived the Hitlerian holocaust.”