U.N. Body Completes Recommendations on Outlawing of Anti-semitism

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights completed today final action on two draft conventions vital to Jewry all over the world–one banning most forms of religious discrimination, the other forbidding racist practices, specifically including anti-Semitism in that category.

The proposed conventions, which would have the effect of international law after passage by the General Assembly and ratification by a sufficient number of states, were passed by the Commission to its parent body, the Economic and Social Council which, in turn, is to transmit the documents to the Assembly’s next session. That session will convene next fall.

Completion of the Commission’s action on both draft conventions came after more than a month of hot debate, most of it caused by a filibuster conducted by the three Communist delegations in the 21-member body–the Soviet Union, Poland and the Ukraine. The long discussions were marked by acrimonious debate in which the United States, other members, Israel acting as an observer, and Jewish nongovernmental organizations accused the USSR of persecuting Soviet Jews, especially in the religious and cultural fields.

Because of the lengthy debates, the Commission, originally scheduled to close its four-week session last Friday, extended its schedule, holding night sessions last week, convening on Saturday, and finally getting together here this afternoon to adopt those sections of its final report that deal with racial discriminations, anti-Semitism and religious freedoms for all peoples, including the Jews in the Soviet Union.

Other sections of the Commission’s final report are to be scanned briefly at one further meeting tomorrow, after which the body will adjourn for this year.

The United States delegation, headed by Mrs. Marietta Tree, played a leading role in the Commission’s work on the two drafts as these affect Jewish interests.