Proskauer, Blaustein Laud Decisions on Human Rights As Leading to Jewish Equality

The provisions on human rights in the charter of the international organization now being established at San Francisco are a great step forward in the creation of a new world order in which Jews, like all others, will enjoy equal rights of citizenship, according to a statement issued today by Judge Joseph M. Proskauer and Jacob Blaustein, consultant and associate consultant, respectively, of the American Jewish Committee to the U. S. delegation, who have just returned from San Francisco.

“Realizing that the agenda of the conference made possible the consideration of only a few of the problems directly concerning Jews as such, we concentrated most of our efforts as Americans and as Jews on bringing about a charter which would proclaim the equality of all people as one of the major purposes of the new world organization,” the statement says. “That is why in San Francisco we emphasized the question of human rights and urged that a Commission on Human Rights be made an integral part of the charter. We carried on our work in this direction in close collaboration with other civic organizations. Jewish and non-Jewish, represented at the Conference. As a result of these efforts, the charter will state that the World Security Organization is being created with a view to promote respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without discrimination as to race, language, religion or sex.”

Pointing out that the Commission on Human Rights will formulate an International Bill of Rights to be adopted by all member nations and that the charter of the World Security Organization lays the foundation for an international machinery to deal with discrimination and inequalities, the statement continues.

“While it is premature to say definitely how these instruments will work in practice, it is our hope that the international organization will have power to investigate violations of human rights and recommend appropriate action. We also hope that the International Bill of Rights, to be adopted, will be so drafted as to give it real strength and effectiveness. At the same time, we realize that our work in this respect is really only a beginning. After the formation of the World Security Organization and the establishment of the Commission on Human Rights, it will be our task to present to it a concrete program for restoring Jewish rights everywhere.”

The representatives of the American Jewish Committee have informed the United States delegation and the State Department of their “earnest desire that nothing shall be done at San Francisco which will impair the existing rights of Jews with respect to Palestine,” the statement says. It expresses, also, appreciation of the support given to the American Jewish Committee representatives at San Francisco by the consultants of the other organizations and by the U. S. delegation.