U.S. Leads in Severe Attack Against Soviet Anti-semitism at U.N. Parley

Mrs. Margaret Tree, the American delegate, led a chorus of blistering attacks today at the current session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights against the Soviet Union for its anti-Jewish discrimination policy.

In accordance with Commission practices, none of the critics mentioned the Soviet Union by name but the target of their denunciations was evident. Mrs. Tree told the meeting that “in certain places religious minorities are subjected to determined political, religious and cultural deprivations. In these places, religious minorities are denied the right to organize their religion on any national basis. Theological students are denied the possibility of returning to theological schools on extraneous grounds.”

She added that “members of religious minorities find it impossible to publish Holy books which they need to worship. The teaching of the religious language is prohibited. They are denied facilities to produce vestments, sacramental articles and similar needs for worship. In some instances they are refused permission to leave the country for religious conferences in other countries and indeed they are denied any contact with their co-religionists elsewhere.”

Continuing her indictment, she told the meeting that “while the religious minority is considered a nationality, its members are in some cases nevertheless denied the cultural and social privileges of other nationalities.” Still not using either the words “Russia” or “Jews,” she added that “they are not allowed to culturalize in their own language. Their newspapers, publishing houses, dramatic schools, literary and cultural research institutions and schools have been closed and have not been allowed to reopen. They are subjected to a virulent press campaign.,”

BRITAIN, FRANCE, HOLLAND JOIN IN CONDEMNING SOVIET DISCRIMINATIONS

Similar charges were voiced by the delegates of Britain, Holland, Denmark, France and particularly the delegate from Ecuador who bitterly criticized the Soviet Union’s attitude on the problem and appealed to the UN Economic and Social Council–to which the Human Rights Commission will submit its report–to draft a resolution aimed at preventing such discrimination in the future.

The British delegate said that “in certain countries,” members of a certain religious minority were treated as “second class citizens.” He drew the attention of the delegates to the fact that discrimination on grounds of race or color was easily visible and widely publicized. He added that “this is not the case with religious discrimination but that does not make it any less serious.”

He said that while “even west European countries are not perfect in all respects,” he wanted to draw special attention to those countries “where people are deprived of books of worship, sacramental foods and other religious materials.” He called for the formulation of a declaration of rights which would cover two separate items, one, the safeguard of religious worship and two, the prevention of discrimination in housing and Jobs on religious grounds.

The commission, which is being chaired by a Polish delegate, has managed to deal with the item of religious discrimination only during one half-day session. Under pressure of the French delegate, Prof. Rene Cassin, the Commission agreed to permit the Israeli observer to speak tomorrow and present Israel’s views on the issue. Israel is not a member of the Commission and attends its meetings only in observer status.

During the session today, the Soviet delegate used the same arguments presented by Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko at the last session of the UN in New York. The Soviet delegate claimed that the Soviet constitution did not permit any religious discrimination whatever. He added that “a considerable majority of the population of the Soviet Union are atheists” and that only “a small minority profess any given religion.” He insisted that “this does not mean that this minority suffers any restrictions in the practice of its religion.”