Australian Jewry Urged to Unite in Opposition to Admission of “volksdeutsche” to Country

Following the resignation of M.J. Ashkanasy from the presidency of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the Victorian Board of Jewish Deputies, the executive vice-president of both organizations, Ben Green, issued a statement calling on all Australian Jews to unite in opposition to the proposed admission to Australia of “Volkadeutsche” German immigrants.

Mr. Ashkanasy resigned his posts last week following rejection of his demand that the Executive Council alone conduct the Jewish community’s campaign against German immigration. Heretofore, the Executive Council and the Jewish Council to Combat Fascism and Anti-Semitism, a body which Mr. Ashkanasy accuses of “Communist tendencies,” conducted the campaign jointly.

Mr. Green’s statement declares: “The unanimous decision of the Victorian Board of Deputies to proceed immediately with the anti-German migration campaign sponsored by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, taken as it was after considering the genuine differences of opinion as to the Administration, proves in unmistakable terms the determination of all sections of the Jewish community to put aside all personal and political differences and, as a united body of citizens, to face the essential task of convincing the government of the tragic consequences to our Australian way of life that must result from any influx of the present generation of Nazi-indoctrimated Germans.”

Efforts are still being made by leading members of the Australian Jewish community to get Mr. Ashkanasy to withdraw his resignation in the interest of community unity.