The Phoenix Jewish news., 1949-09-23
A Year Of Legislation
Losses, Gains
Recorded In
Fight on Bias
BY Million Friedman
(Copyright, 1949, Jewish Telegraphic
Apanev TnrN

WASHINGTON - Open anti
Semitism was combatted vigorous
ly in Washington since last Rosh
Hashanah, although some of the
rounds were lost.
Displaced persons legislation,
civil rights, and fair employment
practices bills found many foes in
the 81st Congress. But Jewish or
CARNATIONS battled to advance hu-
manitarian causes, putting up
game fight. The lives of Jews may
be affected for many years to
come by what happened, or failed
to happen, in Washington in the
year 5709.
Members of Congress who were
shocked and sickened" over the
Nazi death camps in 1945, seemed
to have completely recovered their
equilibrium and health in 1949.
Perhaps we cannot visualize how
four years could erase from the
minds of many legislators the trau-
matte memories of visits to Buch-
enwald and Belsen and Dachau.
But members of Congress who
shed tears over the displaced per-
sons and the mass murder of Jews
seemed to have forgotten this year
as they rallied to oppose admission
to the US. of death camp survi-
vors.
PRESIDENT TRUMAN fired
the opening gun in the battle
against the Displaced Persons Act
of 1948, terming it "discrimina-
tory against Jews. The obvious
barriers to Jews in the law-which
favors farmers and Baltic peoples
were denounced by Earl G. Har-
rison, former us. Commissioner
of immigration and Naturalization.
Harrison, who should be an au-
thority on DIP laws, urged immed-
late elimination of anti-Semitic re-
strictions. He said, ito do less than
this would seem to indicate that |
one piece of Hitler's iniquitous
philosophy of racism and discrim-
ination has been adopted here"
A bill to amend the DIP law
was introduced in the House by
Chairman Emanuel Celler of the
House Judiciary Committee. 1t
was eventually passed by the
House after the immigration Sub
committee, led by it's chairman,
Rep. Francis E. Walter, of Penn
sylvania, doctored the measure in
such way as to make it almost
to the Jewish people
and to the Jewish congressman
who was its author.
GEN. WLADYSLAW Anders'
Polish army, which has many anti
Semites in it's ranks (some volun-
;eered to fight against Israel out
If sheer hatred for the Jews)
would be imported to the US. un-
Ter a special provision written in
% the House-approved bill.
"Anyone who advocated or as
sisted in persecution of others for
ace, religion, or national origin"
would be barred from the U.s., ac-
.ording to the bill. But the Walter
added specifications
which would admit not only Gen.
Anders' $4,000 Jew-baiters, but so
Der cent of the large German
luota would be made available to
'Ethnic Germans" These are Ger
mans who were sent to Danzig and
he Czech Sudetenland and else
where in Eastern Europe by Hit
er.
Jewish organizations were dis
,leased but termed the bill the best
hey could expect to get through.
But little did anyone on Capitol
Hill suspect that Sen. Pat McCar-
an of Nevada would soon single 5
landedly block all efforts to pass 5
he measure in the Senate. 8
\ y = &
McCARRAN SAID that allega- 8
ions that the old law Disseminated 8
gainst Jews were a despicable 8
barge, wholly at variance with the 8
acts" Shocking attacks on Jewish 3
isplaced persons by Rep. Ed Cos :
ett, of Texas, in the House might !
ave served as warning to what
,as to happen in the Senate. Nc
;arran was to show, however, that
e had the power, while Gossett
My had the mouth.