American Jewish Committee Sees Anti-semitism Here Checked

Anti-Jewish agitation in the United States has been checked during the past year, but conditions of Jews abroad are tragic, the executive committee of the American Jewish Committee reported today to the committee’s thirtieth annual meeting at the Hotel Astor.

The report, which was read by Dr. Cyrus Adler, covered the situation of the Jews in the United States and in foreign countries. Dr. Adler urged friendly intercession with the governments of Poland and Rumania in regard to anti-Semitic propaganda and voiced the committee’s hope that the League of Nations would appeal to the German Government for moderation of its policies.

Dr. Adler was re-elected president. Other officers re-elected are Abram I. Elkus, honorary vice-presidents, Judge Irving Lehman and Louis E. Kirstein, vice-presidents, and Samuel Leidesdorf, treasurer. Sol M. Strobck is chairman of the executive committee.

The executive’s report declared that in the United States “anti-Semitism is not merely an attack upon the American Jews, but also an attack upon all American institutions. More and more the American people, Jews and non-Jews, have come to realize this fact and are uniting to combat un-American movements.” Anti-Semitism, the report declared, “is a manifestation of the spirit of dictatorship, which first attacks the weakest–the Jews — and then proceeds to destroy all liberty.”

In regard to Germany, the executive asserted that the “constant stream of propaganda” being issued throughout the world by the Nazis “indicates the existence of a carefully prepared program.” Fear was expressed that recent deportations of German Jews “mark the beginning of a new campaign to expel Jews by administrative order.” The report declared that “the living standards and the morale of tens of thousands of men, women and children are being destroyed under the protection of a strongly-armed dictatorship.”

“We may look forward,” however, said the report, “if not in the near, yet in the distant future to an amelioration of these savage conditions. The rage against the Hebrew Bible, which has brought about an attack on Christianity by the Nazi neo-pagans, is having repercussions which may force a retreat on that important issue. More immediate is the declaration of the British Foreign Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs concerning the impossibility of dealing with nations who by continued unilateral denunciation of treaties destroy the possibility of comity among the family of nations.”

In regard to Poland, the committee reported its representatives had conferred with Polish diplomatic representatives about discriminatory legislation in 1936 and Foreign Minister Beck’s proposals to the League of Nations for enforced emigration of 80,000 Jews annually, and had received a reply that the Government “abhorred Nazism and anti-Semitism,” would “under no circumstances agree to Nazi domination of Poland,” but had to contend with “tremendously augmented opposition on all sides.”

In Rumania, the committee asserted, the anti-Jewish faction has been gaining ground and is coming “closer and closer to victory over the liberal elements” chiefly owing to German Nazi propaganda. Government officials were charged with taking only half-hearted action and with themselves indulging in anti-Jewish discriminations.