The Department of State today revealed that it is prepared “to protest boycott actions which cause injury to American commercial interests” in connection with anti-Jewish restrictions applied by Arab governments.
L. Oppenheimer & Co., of New York, had been asked to arrange shipment of 10,000 kilograms of Idaho hops to a brewery in Egypt. Then the firm received a questionnaire from the Arab Boycott Office pertaining to the order. It asked whether the firm traded with Israel, supported Jewish causes, or had Jews among its directors.
Senator Jacob K. Javits, New York Republican, forwarded the company’s protest to the State Department. In a letter to Senator Javits, Thomas R. Mathews, Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations, made known that the State Department is now prepared “upon request by the company involved to protest” because the boycott action injured American commercial interests.
Mr. Mathews added that “the Department has repeatedly made known its objections to the general principles of the Arab boycott to the various Arab states concerned. The Department will refer to the example cited by Mr. Oppenheimer in its continued representations.”
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