Robert G. Menzies, former Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, attacked the government’s policy of admitting Jewish refugees from Europe in a statement issued here over the week-end.
Menzies’ statement, which followed an attack on the government by another Liberal M.P. last week, expressed concern at reports that the refugees were experiencing less difficulty in entering Australia than Britons. He warned Australian Jews, who he said have an “honorable record,” that if the number of Jews admitted to the country is disportionate, anti-Semitism may develop. However, he condemned anti-Semitism which he said was not condoned by his party.
Jewish circles pointed out that the reports of discrimination in favor of Jews were untrue. Various Labor Party groups and trade unions condemned the attack in Parliament, while the clothing workers union issued a statement paying tribute to Jewish employers, who, it said, maintained better conditions in their factories than existed elsewhere in the industry.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
