Washington Conference Asks President to Act for Jews of Germany

Resolutions deploring persecution of the Jews of Germany and urging President Roosevelt to act, were adopted by delegates attending the American National Conference Against Racial Persecution which met here yesterday at the call of James W. Gerard, former American Ambassador to Germany. The resolutions adopted, approved the spirit of the resolution introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Hamilton Fish and the petition of a group of attorneys headed by Elihu Root and Bainbridge Colby. They provided for a continuation committee to perpetuate the conference and work toward creation of a central body, mobilize public sentiment against wrongs existing in Germany today, to “give assurance of solace” to the victims, to secure authentic information from Germany and to cooperate with other organizations opposed to racial and religious persecution.

Among the delegates attending the convention were representatives of the Polish National Alliance, largest organization of Polish-Americans in the country, who read a statement denouncing the Hitler Government for its policies and urging President Roosevelt and Congress to take official action.

Among the speakers were Governor Albert C. Ritchie, of Maryland, who warned of the danger of allowing “seeds of hate” to flourish in Germany; Representative Joseph W. Byrns, of Tennessee, who praised the Jews for their contributions to civilization and declared “the persecution of the German-Jewish people as reported is incomprehensible when one considers the contributions made to German civilization by this people”, and Representative James M. Beck, of Pennsylvania, who declared intervention justified “when a nation is guilty of an affront to the moral conscience of the world”.

Former Congressman Fiorella H La Guardia delivered the keynote address, which was a vigorous denunciation of Hitler policies and their defenders. Dr. Frederick B. Robinson, president of City College of New York, presided at the afternoon session. About five hundred attended the dinner at the Hotel Mayflower given by the Washington sponsors of the conference, Justice Wendell Stafford and Senators Hebert and Costigan.