President Truman today issued a special statement denouncing “unwarranted and reprehensible” attacks on his Commission on Immigration and Naturalization including smear charges against Harry N. Rosen-field, executive director of the Commission. The attacks to which the President referred came principally from Sen. Pat McCarran who sought to label members of the Commission as pro-Communist.
The Commission members visited the White House today and received commendation from the President for their work. The Commission’s chairman, Philip Perlman, made known that copies of the report have been supplied to members of the incoming Republican Administration. Mr. Perlman said he did not know what they would do about revising the Mc Car ran-Walter Act, target of the Commission’s criticism, but that he “earnestly hoped that they will proceed to make the recommended changes.”
Mr. Truman said in his statement: “It is to be regretted that persons who disagree with the findings of the Commission have resorted to personal vituperation and slander of its members and its executive director,. “Such politically motivated attacks have, unfortunately, become all too common in controversies over issues of great public importance.
“In this case, these attacks are particularly unwarranted and reprehensible. This is a Commission of distinguished citizens, noted for their experience with the subject under inquiry–as churchmen, laymen, or public officials. They have freely given months of devoted, patriotic and able service in the interest of finding solutions for some of the most important questions that effect our country.”
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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.