Capital Comment

Washington.

With Germany, Mexico and other foreign countries increasing their persecution drives against minority groups within their borders, Washington officialdom is beginning to think that sooner or later the United States will have to reiterate its abhorance of racial, religious and political intolerance by any nation.

Two years ago this month, eight indignant protest against the persecution of Jews in Germany. These were Senator Robinson of Arkansas, Metcalf of Rhode Island, Copeland of New York, Walsh of Massachusetts, Hatfield of West Virginia, Tydings of Maryland, Lewis of Illinois and Wagner of New York.

In Spite of all that has been said and written about persecution in Germany, the Hitler government continues its drive against minority groups with more fervor than over. The words of protest have fallen on deaf cars. Senator King of Utah has made the suggestion that in view of Germany’s continued drive against minority groups, it may be well for the United States to withdraw its friendly relations with that country. Several resolutions have been introduced in both houses of Congress for the purpose of requiring the State Department to enter an official protest to the Hitler government against the persecution of Jews. The State Department has ruled against the wisdom of such procedure.

While persecution of minorities continues unabated in Germany, a new country has come into the limelight for similar activities. This country is Mexico, where, according to reports, Catholics and Jews are suffering from intolerance. Efforts to have the United States ### its good offices” on behalf of these people have failed in spite of precedents.

In the light of increasing intolerance against Catholics, Jews and other minority groups in foreign countries, Representative John P. Higgins of Massachusetts holds that “the American people find themselves confronted by a challenge of the fundamental principles and ideals that are the cornerstone of the structure of our government.” He believes that the source of that peril is Mexico, because of that country’s proximity to the United States.

“The problem which confronts our country today, in common with all his neighbors in America is: Shall we continue to maintain the high standards of justice, those eternal principles of human rights, upon which our system is founded and which are the lifeblood of our nation, or shall we stand idly by while systems develop which deny and denounce those principles?” Representative Higgins asks.

The Representative from Massachusetts points out that “to the everlasting credit of the noble Jewish race in America it can be said that because of their forcefulness and organization they have on numerous occasions received from our government the exercise of its mighty influence in behalf of their persecuted brethren in foreign lands. Since this was a just and proper exercise of the resources of both diplomacy and statesmanship, I am in hearty accord with every movement that aims to enlist the influence of our government in a humane cause, and I am at a loss to understand why this principle cannot be consistently applied now.”

Saying that “it was fitting and proper for the representatives of our government in the Senate of the United States two years ago to express their disapproval of the policy of Hitler toward Jewish men and women in Germany,” Representative Higgins wants to know “why should there be silence and this discrimination” ### and Jews are being persecuted in Mexico at this very time.

“It is a well-recognized principle of the law of nations,” Representative Higgins says, “that when one nation conducts its internal affairs in such a manner as to injure the tranquility of another nation, strong official representations may be made to the offending government. If there is any doubt that the transquility of 50,000,000 Christians and Jews has been disturbed by the intolerance of the Mexican government, let them read the religious press. The American Christian and Jew have an incontestable right to expect and require their government in pursuance of the policy of ‘good neighbor’ to intercede for the oppressed and persecuted Mexicans, among whose coreligionists are found one-half of the total-population of the United States.”

Since the State Department has adopted a “hands off” attitude, Representative Higgins holds that the matter now rests with the President. “The duty is plainly upon the President of the United States to speak his disapproval of the barbarous policies of the present Mexican government and thus protect the lives and prosperity of Americans and reiterate the doctrine of human rights that has been so eloquently expressed by many of his predecessors in office under similar circumstances to those that exist in Mexico today.”