A CALL FOR SENATE CONDEMNATION OF SOVIET ANTI-SEMITISM: WORLD OPINION CAN HALT PERSECUTION OF JEWISH MINORITY

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• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP66B00403R000200190010-7
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• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: August 10, 1964
• Content Type: OPEN

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1961 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 18191
are important sources in other countries of
similar research, training, and advisory
skills. Nor can we even state with any pre-
cision the likely future volume of AID con-
tracting. We have today between $160 and
$200 million worth of contracts in effect with
over 100 American universities. We believe
the number and dollar volume of contracts
is likely to rise somewhat. In our view, how-
ever, it is more important to improve the
quality than the volume of our joint work,
and we ourselves expect to concentrate more
on questions of quality than on the simple
expansion of our total effort.
Lastly, I think it is most important for all
of us to recognize that the work of assisting
rural development in other countries is a task
of the utmost complexity and sensitivity. It
cannot be accomplished by anything less
than our very best talent. The Department
of Agriculture, the other governmental de-
partments and agencies who will be involved,
and those land-grant universities that wish
to participate in this work, must expect to
put some of their ablest people into it. We
will have to have some of your best people-
not too many, but some-for our own AID
staffs in Washington and the field, and you
will have to commit some of your best people
to any training, research, and advisory activ-
ities that you may wish to undertake. No
doubt some of the land-grant universities
will not wish, or will not feel able, to under-
take oversea activities. We hope enough will
do so to meet the needs we see. And as the
committee reports indicate, AID recognizes
that we should help to develop the research
facilities, and to train the people, who will be
necessary to carry out this work.
I think it is important to recognize these
cautionary notes. But I think we should ap-
proach the task of international rural de-
velopment with zest and vigor. It is chal-
lenging, rewarding work, which combines
high personal satisfaction with high contri-
butions to great national objectives.
In that spirit I invite your attention to the
work of this Conference.
SHOULD FOREIGNERS WRITE
AMERICAN POLICIES?,
Mr. MUNDT. Mr. President we hear
much, these days, as to what this or that
American policy or candidate for office
or program of domestic or foreign sig-
nificance will mean to the so-called
American image abroad. It is argued
that unless the foreign press and the
spokesmen for foreign governments ex-
press their approval of an American de-
cision, there is a strong indication that
such a decision is inadvisable. In my
opinion, this is a spurious argument. I
believe that Americans are capable of
making their own decisions, not only as
to what policies are in our national in-
terests, but also as to which are most
likely to benefit humanity throughout
the world.
In this connection, Mr. President, I call
attention to an article written by Con-
stantine Brown, and published recently
in the Washington Evening Star. I ask
that Mr. Brown's column on foreign
images be printed in the RECORD, in con-
nection with my remarks.
As most Senators know, Constantine
Brown is presently living in Rome, and
is touring foreign countries, as part of his
duties as foreign correspondent for the
Washington Star. His observations are
indeed pertinent, since they are based on
firsthand impressions overseas. He
visits many American diplomatic mis-
sions in other countries. Like many
other Americans, he is also appalled by
the new tendency of some of our foreign
diplomats to engage in American parti-
san debate and practices while they are
being paid to represent American inter-
ests as a whole. The final paragraph
of Mr. Brown's column makes this point
very clearly.
There being no objection, the article
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
as follows:
OVERDOING THE IMAGE ARGUMENT
(By Constantine Brown)
RoME.-To an American reporter who has
been watching the European scene firsthand
for the last 3 years, the claims made fre-
quently by administration officials in Wash-
ington that unless Congress does this or,
that, the American image will suffer appear
grossly exaggerated.
Washington dispatches say, for instance,
that Secretary of State Rusk, appearing be-
fore the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee, de-
clares that unless our immigration laws are
liberalized the "American linage" will be im-
paired.
Similar arguments are given every time
Congress is asked to approve bills concern-
ing our dealings with foreign countries. Ad-
ministration spokesmen have argued over
the years, for instance, that unless every
nickel demanded for foreign aid is appro-
priated the American image will become
further distorted. Billions of dollars have
been thus approved against the better judg-
ment of the legislators because Congress was
solemnly warned by the White House and
State Department that the international roof
would cave in unless foreign countries get
a full share of America's wealth. More than
often, emotional arguments prevailed over
commonsense.
Actually, few European countries need our
economic or military assistance.
In some instances where there is a de-
pendence on our assistance, this is not being
used by the administration to calm down
strife which could easily result in sparking
local wars.
Greece and Turkey, whose economies do
not permit them to provide their own heavy
military equipment, are an example. The
efforts of President Johnson to get them to
settle their differences by fair and amicable
means were turned down by the Greek Gov-
ernment. It is likely that had we taken the
tough attitude of telling Athens that unless
the proffered American mediation was ac-
cepted, there would be no further shipments
of military aid, the Cyprus question would
be by way of being settled peacefully.
Turkey has ordered partial mobilization.
This lack of a firm stand on our part does
affect the American image over here, it
shows us as unwilling to take a strong de-
cision in a very serious crisis.
The liberalization of the immigration laws
would be received with applause in some of
the Mediterranean countries but would be
ignored elsewhere. There is no question that
immigration based on national origin is out-
dated. The quotas for those born in Britain,
Germany, and other parts of northern and
western Europe go begging. On the other
hand, those born in Italy, Greece, and Turkey
must wait sometimes as long as 30 years
before they can obtain an immigration visa
to America.
But to say that the American imagine
would improve because of a change in the
law is an exaggeration. None of the western
Europeans care must about it. There is full
employment in western Europe. Germany,
Switzerland, France, and Holland are im-
porting more than 2 million workers from
southern Europe. More than a million Ital-
ians have thus' found employment in nearby
countries from whence they can return home
for Christmas and summer holidays with
hard currency. A liberalization of our im-
migration laws would not affect that much-
talked-of American image one way or the
other. i
What does affect the image is our lack of
decision in areas where our policies are
shown to be weak; in our being considered
responsible for the weakening of NATO; In
political areas which resent our alleged inter-
ference in the affairs of our allies; in our
heretofore incoherent policy in southeast
Asia illustrated in Europe by our encourage-
ment of the removal from office of Ngo Dinh
Diem and his brother by an American-
sponsored military junta.
What adds to the loss of face for America
in Europe is the sub rosa activities by our
missions abroad, which permit themselves to
get involved in the present American elec-
toral battle.
HERBERT CLARK HOOVER
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today the
Nation celebrates the 90th birthday of
one of its greatest citizens, Herbert Clark
Hoover. Mr. Hoover arrives at this no-
table milestone in life laden with honors
and public esteem such as few men have
achieved in the long history of the Re-
public.
As he looks back over his long span of
years, Herbert Hoover can never remem-
ber a time when he was not strenously
engaged in some worthy endeavor.
As a young boy, an orphan, he toiled
on farms to pay his way.
He was one of the first graduates of
Stanford University. During the years
between the day he graduated from col-
lege, with $40 in his pocket, and his 40th
birthday, he earned an international
reputation as a geologist and engineer,
and he became a very wealthy man. It
was characteristic of Herbert Hoover
that at this stage in life he turned his
back on his fantastically successful ca-
reer and resolved to devote the remain-
der of his life to advancing the public
welfare.
Fifty years 'of incomparable service to
the American people and to the people
of the world have followed. As the head
of famine relief programs after two
World Wars, as Secretary of Commerce,
as President, as- head of the Hoover
Commission to streamline Government
operations, as the moving force behind
numerous civil and charitable endeavors,
Herbert Hoover has truly been one of the
great figures of American history.
But his achievements, despite their
gigantic scope, are not the full measure
of the man. Looming above all this
shines the character of the man.
The name of Herbert Hoover is synon-
ymous with integrity, humility, com-
passion, courage, self-reliance, individ-
ualism, practical idealism, and all those
attributes which we like to think em-
body Americanism in its highest form.
Here truly is a man who has been re-
sourceful in the hour of challenge, pati-
ent in the hour of trial, steadfast in the
hour of ridicule, self-effacing in the
hour of accolade, magnanimous in the
hour of victory, and undaunted in the
hour of defeat.
It is an honor and a privilege for me
to join in this outpouring of respect,
admiration, and affection for a very
great man, and to offer congratulations
on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
May there be many more.
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 18192
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD.- SENATE August 10
Mr. President, I ask unanimous con-
sent to insert at this point in the REC-
ORD an editorial from the New Haven
Register of August 8, entitled "Con:
necticut To Honor an Outstanding
American."
There being no objection, the editorial
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
as follows:
CONNECTICUT To HO:xoa AN OUTSTANDING
AMEISCAN
Connecticut will honor Herbert Hoover,
the 31st President of the United States, oil
his 90th birthday Monday. In proclaiming
the day Governor Dempsey set aside party
lines, as Mr. Hoover did in his 4 years in the
White House and In more than a score of
other years In other public service.
Few men in history have been the victim
of such a set of adverse circumstances ad
those which crashed town upon Mr. Hoovet
after he assumed the Presidency in 1928,
The situations which were soon to coagulate
to form the depression had been building up
for years. He had the misfortune to be Presi
dent when the stock market collapsed and
the worst economic plight in modern history
engulfed the Nation and the world. While it
was his misfortune, h story now shows the.{
it was the country's good fortune to have a
man of Mr. Hoover's ebility and stability in
office during such a crisis.
During the depression Mr. Hoover was
scorned and ridiculed. He was blamed, con-
demned. He took every undeserved blow,
In such a financial calamity as the depres.
sion, the part in it of any one man cannot
be accurately gaged at the time. Time
must be given to reflect, to appraise. Mr.
Hoover lived long enough to have historians
and economists remove the yoke of reapon:
sibiiity placed around his neck, see his poli.
cies commended and not condemned.
When he ran for reelection In 1932 the de.
pression was still on. He had to fight the
onus It so erroneously put upon him. He
had to battle mounting resentment to the
Prohibition Act. He also had such a formi-
dable opponent as Franklin D. Roosevelt,
The electorate rejected Mr. Hoover.
As a former President Mr. Hoover has won
recognition and respect denied him while
he was our Chief Executive. When he marks
his 00th birthday on Monday the people of
Connecticut and the other 49 States will
join In extending congratulations. Herbert
Hoover Is one of our finest Americans and
humanitarians.
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, it Is also
singularly appropriirte that on Herbert
Hoover's 90th birthday there should ap=
pear In the Nation's bookstores a fasci-
nating, panoramic book detailing tht
colorful life and deeds of this unforget-
table humanitarian, under the title
"Herbert Hoover: A Biography," by Eu
gene Lyons. It is a very human, moving
document that reads like an absorbing
novel.
An editorialized review of it by Mr,
A. N. Spanel, the chairman-founder of
International Latex Corp., appeared in
paid space in the Washington Post on
August 10, 1964. ::t was presented in
the public interest, and a very worthy
public service It is indeed.
I, therefore, ask unanimous consent
that excerpts from the editorial-review
by Mr. Spanel, inelading excerpts frond
Mr. Lyon's book, be printed In the body
of the RECORD at this point.
There being no objection, the material
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
as follows:
HAPPY BIRTHDAYTO HERBERT HOOVER
(By A. N. Spanel. founder-chairman, Inter-
national Latex Corp.)
On August 10, the 31st President of tl.e
United States, Herbert Hoover, reaches it e
venera3le age of 90. He has lived longer
than ray American President except John
Adams. who died at 91. That this great
American has survived so long is a matter
or profound satisfaction to millions of his
countrymen, and admirers throughout Us
world--because it has enabled him to wi
ness h`s vindication after a brutal ordeal 1 y
abuse-
History, there Is every reason to believe,
will dell more generously with Herbert Hoov-
er than many of his contemporaries have
done. Already, to quote Mr. Lyons' concluc -
ing words. "Time has washed off the mud
with which he was bespattered-fortunatri-
ly whi.e he was still alive and active. Tl.e
granite of integrity underneath became ol.-
vtous even to the less perceptive of his
countrymen."
SERVANT OF HUMANITY
It is most gratifying that three Democrat c
Presidents, Mr. Truman, Mr. Kennedy, and
Mr Johnson signally honored Mr. Hoove';
with Mr. Truman utilizing Mr. Hoover's wire
and profound report resulting from tie
Hoover Commission, and Mr. Johnson ro-
peated:y paying the warmest tribute to Mr.
Hoover's lifelong contribution to humanity.
Mr. Hoover's 90 years have compassed
many careers-as engineer, humanitarian,
political leader, social philosopher-and In
each or them he achieved the top rung. His
unhap?y 4 years In the White House are litt.e
more ' han an Interlude In a long life of
service to mankind.
Iron_cally. he was one of the very few wlo
warned against the speculative frenzy of
the prosperity years in the 1920'.. Fate ruled
that he should himself be President when
his warnings came true. He was vilified fur
crimes he did not commit, ridiculed for words
he did not utter-such as "prosperity around
the corner"
The new biography cuts through ti e
mytho ogy manufactured during his ordeal
and Mr. Hoover emerges as a towering moral
figure. More than most men, living or deal,
he has been the great Instrument of Ame-
lea's conscience. Beginning with the Bel-
gian Relief In 1914. he has organized and
adrnln'stored dramatic humanitarian cont-
pafgns that saved the lives of literally scoria
of mill tons throughout the world.
PROFILE IN GREATNESS
Ultimately, Mr. Lyons believes, Hoover will
not be judged as a President but as a grei.t
human being. Here are few quotations from
the book:
"He is a self-made man who from tl.a
humblast beginnings rose to transcendet:t
heights-to the summit of his vocation,
which was the mining of metals; to the pit -
nacle .K his avocation, which was benevt-
lence; to the highest office in the Republic.
Then, with startling suddenness, his destiry
took tragic turns.
"Rig qtly credited with genius In the
ac'- of economic resources, he w?a
fated to preside over a catastrophe of eco-
nomic disintegration beyond the control of
any mortal man. A Quaker whose name bed
become synonymous with compassion and
help to the destitute, he found himself ti_e
victim of cruel accusations of callous uncot,-
cern for the sufferings of his own eountr?-
men. From the luminous mountain peals
be wait driven Into the valley of shadows,
there to wander for more than 15 years in
unmerited ignominy, a man mocked and de-
famed. pilloried and stoned, for wholly imr.
ginary sins.
"Happily the legend was dissipated In his
own lt'etime. The landscape of his 90 yea's
has the sweep of great human drama, tl.e
counterpoint of brilliant light and melan-
choly shadows.
"A clear head under the control of a com-
passionate heart has kept Hoover from suc-
cumbing to the catch-phrases and shibbo-
leths of the hour--proof that he was never
cut out to be a conventional politician. While
devoting his life to the weak and the desti-
tute, he never tried to flatter the masses by
glorifying weakness and destitution. He
sought to stir them, rather, to new strength
and self-reliance.
"Hoover has consistently renounced popu-
larity for principle, for duty as he conceived
it. As President, and then as ex-President,
be never revised or reversed himself under
the terror of organized abuse; he never yield-
ed to the temptation of doing the politically
profitable thing against his own logic and
conscience.
"His life. I am convinced, will be measured
less by what he did-colossal though it has
been-than by what he was. Already, In fact,
his countrymen instinctively appraise him
in moral rather than conventional political
terms. They think of him. If at all, not
primarily as a President, however rated, but
as a great American and a great human
being-as a truly good man, whose compas-
sion reached out to embrace sill humankind."
These citations, we repeat, are from "Her-
bert Hoover: A Biography," by Eugene Lyons,
published by Doubleday & Co. They provide
a foretaste of the literary, historical and
moral feast spread In its pages. 'n rJ
A CALL FOR SENATE CONDEMNA-
TION OF SOVIET ANTI-SEMITISM:
WORLD OPINION CAN HALT PER-
SECUTION OF JEWISH MINORITY
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, the Sen-
ate Foreign Relations Committee today
began hearings on a resolution Intro-
duced by my distinguished colleague the
junior Senator from Connecticut calling
for the Condemnation of Soviet persecu-
tion of the Jewish minority. I am proud
to be associated with this resolution as a
cosponsor.
It is proper that the Congress of the
United States should concern itself with
this problem because I am convinced
that the force of world opinion can stay
the hands of the Soviet tyrants and per-
haps ease the plight of the persecuted
Jewish minority in some measure.
There is nothing new about Soviet
anti-Semitism. It is indeed almost as
old as the Soviet regime itself. It has
been the subject of many scholarly
studies and of scattered newspaper arti-
cles spread over a period of two decades.
It was the subject of intensive investiga-
tion by the Select Committee on Commu-
nist Aggression of the 83d Congress, of
which I had the honor to be a member.
The committee brought out two reports
In 1952, one dealing with Soviet anti-
Semitism and the other dealing with
anti-Semitism In the Communist sphere
generally. As the lone member of the
select committee who serves in the Sen-
ate today, I would commend these re-
ports for the study of my colleagues.
I again addres^,ed myself to the subject
of Soviet anti-Semitism in a Senate
speech in March of 1960. In this speech,
I sought to summarize the known facts
about Soviet anti-Semitism as they have
been documented by experts and Inter-
ested organizations, and by the Select
Committee on Communist Aggression.
But during the 1950's and during the
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE 18193
early 1960's, for some strange reason, the
world paid relatively little attention to
statements on the subject of Soviet anti-
Semitism. The terrifying story of the
persecution of the Jews under commu-
nism seemed unable to penetrate the
public consciousness of the free world.
Perhaps the scholarly studies were too
esoteric, too limited in distribution.
Perhaps the newspaper and magazine
articles were too scattered and infre-
quent to be effective.
Perhaps the Jewish communities in
the Western countries did not speak up
as loudly as they should have for fear
of further endangering their coreligion-
ists behind the Iron Curtain.
Perhaps our minds are conditioned far
more than we ourselves are prepared to
admit by the most powerful and most
subtle propaganda apparatus the world
has ever known.
Whatever the reason may be, I am
convinced from many conversations that,
in the public mind, until very recently,
anti-Semitism was far more closely iden-
tified with Germany than it was with
the Soviet Union.
The past 6 months have, however, wit-
nessed a growing international aware-
ness of the problem. The resolution now
before the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee is only one manifestation of
this awareness. Recently, the Israel del-
egate to the U.N. Human Rights Com-
mittee in Geneva took the extraordinary
step of presenting to the Committee a
detailed fullscale indictment of the So-
viet persecution of the Jewish minority.
And within the past several days the
B'nai B'rith International Council has
issued a similar study, in which the item-
ized indictment is brought right up to
this very day. .
In 1960, a group of professors of the
Social Science Division of Fairleigh Dick-
inson University toured the Soviet Union.
In the course of their tour, they took a
particular interest in the status of the
Jews and in Soviet Government policy
toward the Jews. When they got back,
they wrote a letter to me from which I
should like to quote:
Our observations have led us to. the un-
happy conclusions that anti-Semitism in the
U.S.S.R. is not an atavistic remnant of czar-
ist Russia, but is the official policy of the
Government of the U.S.S.R.
Since that time, there have been fur-
ther disturbing evidences of official anti-
Semitism in the Soviet Union and of gov-
erment incitation against the Jewish
minority.
Toward the end of 1962, for example,
one of Moscow's largest publishing
houses brought out a translation of a
long-forgotten classic of anti-Semitism,
entitled "The Gallery of Saints," by Paul-
Henry Holbach, an 18th century atheist.
This book has justly been described as
one of the most evil anti-Semitic books
ever published, ranking in viciousness
and untruthfulness with the Protocols of
the Elders of Zion.
To give you an idea of the contents of
this book, the writer says in its that the
Prophet Jeremiah was a crook and a real
estate speculator, that Moses was a cruel
tyrant, that the Jews hated other people
and other people hated them, and that
Moses developed their cruelty and their
greed. As for contemporary religious
Jews, Holbach says that "they behave
toward non-Jews no better than their
ancestors did; they think they are al-
lowed to do anything to infidels and
heretics." He states further that "Jew-
ish theologists teach that, if a Jew sees
a non-Jew dying or drowning, he should
not save him or pull him out of the water,
though he is not allowed to kill him."
This book was printed in 175,000 copies
and sold through state book stores in the
Soviet Union.
With literature like this being circu-
lated, it is no surprise that Jews have
been attacked and murdered in recent
years in the Soviet Union, that they are
the prime target of editorialists and of
judicial persecution.
I am certain that the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee will report favorably,
and it is my hope that the Senate will
approve it unanimously.
It is my earnest hope that by focusing
the spotlight of publicity on the terrible
persecution of the Jewish people by the
Soviet regime, we will be able to induce
the Soviet authorities to at least abandon
the official encouragement of anti-Semi-
tism and to accord the Jewish minority
the same rights as other minorities.
Mr. President, because I believe that a
compilation of statements of Soviet anti-
Semitism will be useful to all those in-
terested in the subject, I ask unanimous
consent to insert into the RECORD the fol-
lowing documents:
First. Excerpts from my Senate speech
"Anti-Semitism, the Swastika Epidemic,
and Communism," which appeared In
the RECORD for March 15, 1960.
Second. The full statement of the Is-
raeli representative to the U.N. Human
Rights Committee of the Economic and
Social Council of the United Nations,
Ambassador Moshe Bartur.
Third. The text of the survey recently
published by the B'nai B'rith Inter-
national Council.
There being no objection, the material
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
as follows:
EXCERPT FROM STATEMENT HY SENATOR
THOMAS J. DODD ON FLOOR OF SENATE,
MARCH 15, 1960
For many years after the Bolshevik revolu-
tion, it was commonly believed, by conserva-
tives, as well as liberals, that, despite all its
evil features, communism did not practice
discrimination on racial or religious grounds.
It was equalitarian in the sense that all men,
regardless of race or religion, were equally
persecuted. Personally, I question this con-
ception of equalitarianism; but there were,
and still are, many people who seem to see
some peculiar virtue In equality of persecu-
tion.
The myth that all men are equal under
communism remains to this day one of the
Kremlin's chief propaganda weapons in its
appeal to the Negro, Jewish, and other
minorities in this country, to racial minorities
in other countries, and to the colonial peo-
ples.
The fact is that the Soviet Union is a
gigantic prisonhouse of nations where
minorities have been persecuted and ex-
ploited, and where genocide has been a com-
mon instrument of state police. It is an
imperialist empire which, for its coldblooded
ruthlessness, has no equal in history.
The fate of the Jews under communism Is
most illustrative.
The treatment of minorities, historically,
may be considered a gage of social and moral
progress; and in modern times, it has become
a gage of social sanity. Wherever minorities
have been oppressed in Europe, the Jews have
generally been among the first to suffer and
they have often suffered the most acutely.
This is so because they are dispersed and
more helpless, and because differences of
custom and religion and the survival of an-
cient prejudices make them convenient
scapegoats for despotic regimes.
On the specific question of anti-Semitism,
the Communist leaders, in the early days,
made some very strong statements: "Anti-
Semitism," said Stalin, in an interview with
the Jewish Telegraphic Agency of America in
January 1931, "is an extreme form of racial
chauvinism, is the most dangerous survival
of cannibalism. Anti-Semitism as a phe-
nomenon hostile to the Soviet system, is
severely punished by law. Active anti-Se-
mites are punished by capital punishment
under the laws of the U.S.S.R."
Thus spoke Stalin in 1931. But, in reality,
anti-Semitism is as inherent in Marxist to-
talitarianism as it was in Nazi totalitarian-
ism. Karl Marx himself was, in many of his
statements, as virulently anti-Semitic as
Goebbels. Over the decades, the Commu-
nists have done their utmost to conceal this
fact. Marx's translators into English and
the European languages carefully eliminated
his anti-Semitic diatribes from editions of
his books and writings. But the proof exists.
I have in hand the first English translation
of the unexpurgated papers of Karl Marx on
the so-called Jewish question. It was
printed only last year. In it, you will find
that Marx referred to the distinguished Ger-
man Social Democratic leader, Ferdinand
Lasalle, whom he considered too moderate,
as, I quote, "Judel Itzig-Jewlsh nigger."
In another letter, Marx made the statement:
"Ramsgate is full of Jews and fleas." In
still another statement he said, and I quote
again: "Emancipation from usury and
money, that is, from practical real Judaism,
would constitute the emancipation of our
time."
This was not Hitler speaking. It was the
recognized ideological father of Soviet com-
munism. This was Karl Marx.
The persecution of the Jews in the Soviet
Union can only be understood within.the
context of the Marxist Ideology and of the
Kremlin's broad general policy toward all
minorities.
In the period immediately after the revo-
lution, when they were still endeavoring to
consolidate their regime, the Bolsheviks at-
tempted to purchase the support of the na-
tional minorities by preaching the freedom
and equality of peoples. The appointment
of native Communists to party and Govern-
ment posts was encouraged. The use of the
various minority languages, which had been
restricted under the czar, was also encour-
aged.
By the early thirties, Stalin had achieved
absolute power. At this point, the tolera-
tion and encouragement of national cultures
gave way to a massive campaign against the
languages and cultures of all the national
minorities.
The development of a totalitarian state
requires total conformity, it requires the re-
duction of all peoples to a single norm. The
Russian language was selected as the instru-
ment for the new cultural straitjacket be-
cause it happened to be the language of the
largest national group and was the most
widely spoken.
In the Ukraine, for example, Russian was
again made the main language of instruction
in almost 80 percent of the universities.
Ukrainian specialists and scientists were as-
signed to other areas of the Soviet Union
while increasing numbers of Russian spe-
cialists and scientists were imported into the
Ukraine.
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SE'ATE August 10
The apparatus of government was ruth-
lessly purged of all those who were suspected
of the sin of bourgeois nationalism:
Ukrainian Intellectuals, party leaders, and
administrators were the chief targets of this
terror. The terror reached Its zenith during
1937--38 when, it is estimated, some 200,000
persons were executed In the course of I
year. I have documentary evidence con-
earning the massacre In the city of Vinnitea
alone of 12,000 persons: and there is evidence
that similar massacres occurred at many
other points in the Ukraine.
The man In charge of the Ukraine during
this period, I might point out, incidentally;
was a certain N. S. Khrushchev, who last
summer was Invited to visit our country as
an honored guest.
What happened to the Ukrainian people
happened, with variations In pattern and de-
gree, to all the other national minorities In
the Soviet Union_
The imposition of Russian Communist
control was even more marked in the case
of the minor Moslem nationalities of central
Asia. In all of these central Asian Repub-
lies, Russians held the key posts In the
ministries of security and of the Inter"
and, In general throughout the apparatus of
party and government. In the so-called
autonomous Kazakh Republic, for example,
native Kazakhs, according to a report pub-
lished in 1948, held only 2 percent of the
administrative posts in the ministries of local
industry and public health; 4 percent in light
Industries; 6.7 percent in textiles; and so on
down the line.
The Negro in America unquestionably suf-
fers from serious restrictions on rights and
opportunities. He is now on his way up
But in the darkest days after emancipation;
he enjoyed far greater rights than do some of
the Asian minorities In the Soviet Union
today.
In certain respects the persecution of the
Jews and of Jewish culture in the Soviet
Union has been even more severe than that
endured by other minorities. Physically
their persecution is on a par with that of
the Ukrainians. In terms of dental of op-
portunity, their treatment Is even worse than
that of the Kazakhe. Culturally, their perse-
cution is total. Instead of being permitted
a restricted representation in the apparatus
of party and government, the Jews today are
virtually excluded from all administrative
positions of any Importance. While all re-
ligion is persecuted and regulated, the Jewish
religion Is persecuted with particular ruth-
lessness.
Why Is this so? I can think of several rea-
sons. First of all, there Is the fact that the
Jews have both their own religion and their
our national culture; this makes them
eligible for persecution on both scores.
Secondly, the rulers of the Kremlin have
apparently suspected them of mass die-
loyalty to the Soviet state. This Is not our,-
prising, for no Jew could be expected to
enthuse over things like the Hitler-Stailti
pact or Moscow's Incitation of the Arabs
against the State of Israel.
Perhaps even more Important, the great
majority of the Russian Jews have relatives
In America. This makes them suspect. in
Khrushchev's eyes, of harboring pro-Ameri-
can sympathies.
Finally, Communit t anti-Semitism, like
czarist anti-Semitism, exploits the Jew as a
scapegoat-a convenient outlet for popular
resentment which might otherwise be direc-
ted against the regime.
A major shift in Soviet policy toward the
Jews first became apparent In 1937-38. Zino-
viev, Radek, and a few of the other old Bol-
sheviks who were liquidated in the great
purges of the thirties had been born Jew.
Of course, they could no more be considered
Jews than Stalin and Khrushchev could be
considered Christians But there is reason to
believe that in Stalin's paranoid mind. part;-
opposition to his one-man rule somehow bi -
came Ilentifled with the accident of Jewish,
birth.
Perhaps, more important, there seemed to
be a growing possibility of a deal with Hitler.
If this deal were consummated, every Jew In
the Soviet Union would have to be conic-
Bred at enemy of the regime.
Surr.iptitiousy, the Soviet Governer t
began to encourage anti-Semitic propaganda.
Secret directives went out to the civil service
to restrict recruitment of Jews and to di--
mote or remove many of those who held
office. Jewish schools and newspapers and
commc.nity organizations were forcibly closed
down. Thousands of the Jewish communal
lenders were physically liquidated.
The Nazi Invasion of the Soviet Union did
not peisuade the Kremlin to abandon its per-
secution of the Jews. Jews In the Red Army
fought heroically against the Nazi Invader
and, In many cases, rose to fairly high ran.c.
But Stalin by this time apparently shared
Hltler'n psychopathic hatred of the Jews.
The ret;ult was a policy of passive cooperation
with the Nazi enemy In permitting their eY-
termination.
When Hitler invaded Russia there were
more than 5 million Jews to the Soviet Union
proper and in the territories It had annexed
under the Hitler-Stalin Pact. More than 3
million of these vanished during World War
IT. Scores of thousands of those who van-
Ished were victims of mass deportations 10
Siberia. The great majority, however, were
captured by the Nazis and perished In their
Infamous extermination camps.
But the question arises: Bow is it that
more .?ews were not able to flee before the
Nazi army? How is it that the Nazis wee
able t3 capture virtually intact the large
Jewish communities In so many cities in So-
viet territory?
Jewish organizations In this country a?e
convinced that the Soviet Government d d
nothing to facilitate the evacuation of the
Jews from areas that were threatened by the
Nazi army, even though they knew the fate
that awaited the Jews under Nazi occupa-
tion. According to eyewitnesses before the
House Select Committee on Communist A;-
gression in 1954. those Jews in the occupied
territories who succeeded In escaping did :io
by fleeing individually or in small grou;is
through the swamps and forests. They testl-
fled that Jews attempting to flee from threat-
ened arena an masse or in large groups were
turned back by Soviet guard units.
The attitude of the Soviet press during the
war also deserves some comment. The Krem-
lin ed'toriallsts could find no words strong
enough to denounce Nazi Inhumanity. B *it
they spoke always of "crimes against Soviet
citizens." The systematic extermination if
the Jews by the Nazis was, apparently a
crime that did not call for special mention
or display of moral indignation.
For setierai years after World War II, Soviet
policy toward the Jews continued to mar I-
feat two faces. In its propaganda to tie
free world, the Kremlin continued to pose
as an opponent of anti-Semitism and all
forms of racial discrimination. At home, t ie
persecution was intensified. In tnereaslig
numbers. the Jews were forced out of a1-
ministrative positions. Public hostility to-
ward them was encouraed by a hundred sub-
tle devices.
During the period of Soviet occupation, at
least 10,000 Jews were deported to Sibeila
from Hungary alone and many thousands
more were deported from Rumania.
Other terrors awaited the Jews of the satel-
lite countries. In the Immediate postwar le-
riod the Communists did not yet have coin-
plete --ontrol of these countries. They wt re
either in the process of consolidating con-
trol o.' preparing to seize power. What more
conve'ilent smokescreen could there be for
them what more effective diversion, than a
campaign against the Jews, with a few old-
fnshioned programs thrown in?
In Poland during the course of 1946 there
was a whole series of murderous attacks on
Jews which cost several hundred Jewish
lives. In the pogrom at Kielce alone, 41
Jews were killed by a mob, while the Com-
munist militia stood Idly by, or else arrested
the Jews.
In Czechoslovakia there was also a series
of bloody anti-Semitic incidents. The
Communists tried to blame these incidents
on the Fascists, but there is considerable
evidence that they themselves instigated
them. The Communist Minister of Propa-
ganda during this period, Vaclov Kopecky,
referred to the Jews in his statements as
"those bearded Solomons" or "this Jewish
scum." In this propaganda he was abetted
by the present Prime Minister of Czecho-
slovakia, Antonin Zapotoeky.
In Hungary, local Communist leaders or-
ganized bloody attacks on the Jewish peo-
ple in the cities of Miakolez and Kunma-
dares. According to the testimony of Dr.
Zoltan Klar, a Hungarian Jewish leader, and
of Mr. Irving Engel of the American Jewish
Committee, the Communist police did noth-
ing to prevent the riots and in many cases
they protected the Instigators. Those re-
sponsible for the riots, moreover, were never
punished.
But In 1948. Stalin apparently became im-
patient with the limited, gradual anti-Se-
mitism of the previous decade. The cold
war had sharpened. Tito had defected from
Soviet control. The Jews of the Soviet
Union and the satellite countries had shown
unconcealed enthusiasm over the establish-
ment of the State of Israel. In the warped
mind of Stalin this situation called for an
all-out offensive against everything that
might be considered a "foreign" or "West-
ern" Influence- Anything which suggested
adherence to a non-Russian group was auto-
matically guilty of "bourgeois nationalism";
and friendship for anything outside the
Soviet Union was stigmatized as "cosmopoli-
tanism."
In the fall of 1948, with one sweeping ad-
ministrative decree. Stalin and his cultural
commissar, Andrei Zhdanov, completely
eliminated what remained of Jewish cul-
tural and communal life in the Soviet
Union. Nominally, the campaign was di-
rected against the Zionists. Of course,
everyone who considered himself a Zionist
had long previously perished in Stalin's
concentration camps. In reality, the new
Soviet anti-Semitism was directed not
against Zionism. but against everyone of
Jewish origin, even if they were Communists.
In this respect. I see nothing to distin-
guish the anti-Semitism of Stalin from the
anti-Semitism of Hitler.
At one stroke, all Jewish schools were
closed. Jewish newspapers were shut down.
The Yiddish publishing house, Emes, was
also closed. The Jewish Anti-Fascist Com-
mittee in Moscow was dissolved and its
leaders arrested. More than 450 Jewish
writers, artists, and intellectuals-the cream
of the Jewish intelligentsia in the Soviet
Union-were executed.
Despite restraints and persecution, Russia
under the czar had been the world center
of Yiddish culture. In the early period of
cultural tolerance, the Soviet Union had the
largest numbers of Yiddish schools in the
world, the greatest number of Jewish peda-
gogical institutions, the only Jewish Institu-
tion of higher learning in Yiddish, and Yid-
dish departments to many universities.
There were 4 Yiddish state publishing houses
and 14 state theaters. And there were 35
periodicals and newspapers. 4 of them dailies.
Some of these institutions and publica-
tions had ceased to exist during the anti-
Semitic purges of 1936-38. Others had
ceased to exist during the war. But with
the Zhdanov decree, everything ceased.
Where there had once been a-flourishing
Jewish culture, there was now a desert.
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1964 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE
18195
One year after the Zhdanov decree, in the campaign of official anti-Semitism These trials were secret, but some of the
September 1949, there took place the first throughout the Soviet empire. This cam- details inevitably leaked out. Writing in the
of a whole series of spectacular Communist paign reached perhaps Its lowest point in the magazine Commentary, Peter Meyer re-
show trials involving Jewish defendants. Infamous "Moscow doctors' plot." ported that in the spring of 1954 the secret
The scene of this first trial was Budapest. On January 13, 1953, the Soviet Ministry trials in Rumania reached such numbers as
The chief defendant was the former Minister of Internal Security announced that nine to constitute a mass terror. Not less than
of the Interior, Laszlo Rajk. prominent doctors, six of whom were Jews, 100 Jewish leaders were tried and sentenced
Rajk himself was not a Jew. In fact he had been arrested on the charge of murder- in 1 month, he said. One of the trials in-
was generally considered anti-Semitic. He ing two Politburo members, Andrei Zhdanov volved 22 members of a Socialist Zionist
had used his post to instigate the pogroms and Alexander Scherbakov, by medical mis- youth group. Its leader defied the Commu-
in Miskolcz and Kunmadaras, or else to pro- treatment. They were also accused of hav- nist court with these words: "You have tor-
tect those Communists who had instigated Ing attempted the murder of a number of tured and killed many of our members in
them. Three of Rajk's codefendants, In this top-ranking officers of the Soviet armed your dungeons. This crime will never be
trial, however, were Jewish, and they were forces. The arrested doctors, said the Krem- forgotten." He and his comrades were all
forced to sign confessions that they had lin, had all confessed that they had carried sentenced to 20 years in prison.
served as Zionist spies. These so-called out their crimes on orders of the world Zion- The 5-year period that followed the
Zionist spies had, according to the charges, Ist conspiracy and that these orders had been Zhdanov decree of 1948 is remembered by
conspired with America, England, and Tito's transmitted from Israel by the American . the Jews of the Soviet Union as "the black
Yugoslavia to overthrow the Communist Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. years." The facts about this period were
government. According to the American Jewish Year- documented as early as 1951 by the Jewish
To the accompaniment of an ominous book for 1954, the so-called doctors' plot scholar, Dr. Solomon Schwarz, in his book,
propaganda about the "world Zionist con- resulted in a universal orgy of denuncia- "The Jews in the Soviet Union." But de-
spiracy," Rajk and his chief codefendants tions, demotions, and arrests of Jewish citi- spite such documentations and despite the
were sentenced to death. zens throughout the Soviet empire. All this, blatant anti-Semitism of all the show trials
A few years later, it was the turn of it said, was accompanied by a; barrage of that took place during this period, the
Czechoslovakia. In November 1952, there propaganda designed to prove that all Jews Kremlin was able to pretend to its followers
took place the great Prague trial of Rudolf were apt to be traitors, spies, imperialist in the free world, as late as 1956, that there
Slansky, former secretary-general of the agents, embezzlers, and outright murderers, was no anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union.
party, and his alleged confederates. In this On March 5, 1953, Stalin died. The public Even high-ranking Jewish Communists,
trial, 11 of the 14 defendants, including campaign against the arrested Jewish doctors who should have had access to the facts,
Slansky, were Jews. To make sure that this and against the Jews ceased. On April 4 assured their followers, and assured them-
fact was not missed by the public, the official the Ministry of the Interior made the start- selves, that the charges of anti-Semitism
indictment bore the words, I quote, "of ling announcement that the doctors' plot made by Jewish organizations were slander-
Jewish origin," after the name of each has been a frameup; the evidence had been ous fabrications.
Jewish defendant. falsified and the confessions extorted. This In February 1956 there took place the 20th
As Communists, it goes without saying, all seemed to be a step in the right direction. Congress of the Communist Party of the
of these defendants had long previously re- It caused many people to hope that, with Soviet Union, at which Khrushchev made his
nounced their Jewish religion and they were Stalin's death, anti-Semitism in the Soviet famous denunciation of the crimes of the
violently opposed to Zionism. This appar- spli'ere had also perished. Stalin era. A slackening of control inev-
ently was not considered any serious obstacle Everything that has happened since 1953, stably followed this speech. In his speech to
by the professional brainwashers who pre- however, proves conclusively that Moscow the party congress, Khrushchev said nothing
pared Slansky and his colleagues for their ap- has never abandoned its anti-Jewish cam- about the persecution of the Jews. But
pearances in court. paign. shortly after the congress, on April 4, 1956,
The trial, from the first, was an obscene In Moscow the 13 doctors were released, the Polish Jewish paper Folkshtimme con-
anti-Semitic orgy. The defendants con- but this was the only concession granted. firmed the fact that the hundreds of Jewish
fessed that they had been participants in The thousands of Jews In prison remained writers who had disappeared in the wake of
a worldwide Jewish conspiracy operating In in prison. Zionism remained illegal. Jew- the Zhdanov decree, had been executed.
the service of American and. British im- ish culture and communal life and Jewish To the scattered Jewish following which
perialism. For variety, their conspiracy was emigration remained under total ban, the the Communist Party still maintained In the
sometimes referred to as a "capitalist-im- Jewish religion under a near-total ban. And free world, the article in Folkshtimme struck
perialist Trotskyist-Titoist plot." Involved the basic charges made in the Slansky trial a shattering blow. Some of the most elo-
in this plot, if one were to believe the con- and in the Moscow doctors'. plot were quent condemnations of Soviet and anti-
fessions, were former U.S. Secretary of the repeated and repeated until they acheived Semitism have been written by former
Treasury Henry J. Morgenthau, Mr. Bernard the status of articles of faith for all Com- Jewish Communists and by official Commu-
Baruch, Israel Prime Minister David Ben- munists. nist Party delegations who went to the Soviet
Gurion, and the Yugoslav Communist leader Two weeks after the Moscow doctors were Union to check on the facts. Their eyes
Moshe Pijade. released. on April 16, 1953, the head of the were opened by what they saw.
All of the'evils of the Communist regime Czechoslovak delegation to the U.N., For-
and all of the suffering of the Czechoslovak eign Minister Vacilav David, upheld all the I want to quote a few paragraphs from one
peoples were charged to the account of charges that had been made in the Slansky of the many revealing articles that appeared
Slansky and his codefendants and their trial and reiterated the accusation that the in the world Communist press during the
American and British masters. They con- Zionists and other Jewish organizations period of disarray that followed these revela-
fessed to planning the disorganization of the were hotbeds of American sabotage and tions. These paragraphs are extracted from
Czechoslovak economy, to contriving artifi- espionage, Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei the report of a delegation of the British Com-
cial scarcities of food and fuel, and the infla- Vishinsky backed his Czechoslovak protege munist Party to the Soviet Union and they
tion of the national currency. The com- to the hilt on this occasion. were printed In the London Communist
mentaries of the Czechoslovak press, referring In Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Rumania, weekly World News in October 1956:
to the Jewish defendants, employed such the rash of anti-Jewish show trials con- "For some years prior to the death of Stalin,
adjectives as "huckstering," "profiteering," tinued for more than a year after the release rumors began to spread that all was not well
"bloodsucking," "Judases," "scum with a of the Moscow doctors. In Czechoslovakia in the Jewish field, and that well-known
dark past." alone there were four such trials between Jewish writers and intellectuals had disap-
On November 28, 11 defendants, 8 of them May of 1953 and April of 1954. The last of peared. Then came the revelations of the
Jews, were sentenced to death by hanging. these trials, which took place in Bratislava, 20th Congress, and later, specific charges in
The sentences were carried out a few days had a new twist. None of the defendants the Folkshtimme.
later, were Jewish, but they were charged with "Naturally these charges created conster-
There is a footnote to the stories of the the crime of having protected Jews or hav- nation and bewilderment in the ranks of
Rajk trial in Hungary and the Slansky trial Ing failed to punish them. Jewish Communists in all countries, so that
in Czechoslovakia. In the fall of 1956, after These show trials, involving amalgams of it became a matter of urgency and of im-
Khrushchev's denunciation of Stalin's crimes. Jewish and non-Jewish Communists, re- portance to expose their truth or falsehood.
it was announced that the Rajk trial had ceived considerable international publicity. "The first piece of concrete information
been a frameup from beginning to end and The persecution, of the Jewish community came from a visit to the Lenin State Library.
that the confessions had been extorted. The leaders and Zionist leaders unfortunately, Here there exists a Yiddish and a Hebrew
rehabilitation of some of Slansky's code- received far less publicity. Literally thou- section. It turned out that there is nothing
fendants implied a similar admission. sands of these leaders had been imprisoned in Yiddish later than 1948, when publication
What a commentary on the practice of in the satellite countries, in particular in of Yiddish papers and journals must there-
just
ice under communism. Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Rumania, dur- fore have ceased. ay, the
Needless to
Slansk companied bysa wholesale dismissal of Jews 1953154, 1948
oand meighundredsn of the course
edition devoted vnablouped60 columns its to 1932
from all public office. The trial also served brought to trial, charged with Zionist activl- Jews, reduces this in the 1952 edition to 4
as a signal for a further intensification of ties and aid to Jewish emigrants. columns. The biographies of many eminent
No. 155-5
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18196 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE August 10
referred had been removed. Marx was no longer and other cities have been closed down by crat, to every minor official, it constitutes a
Jews
to as a Jew. the security authorities. directive to treat the bearer as a member of
"The first task, therefore, was to meet tti In the city of Sharkav, where there are a hostile and inferior breed; It constitutes
few Jewish writers and to examine their 70.000 Jews, there is not a single synagogue a command to hate and to persecute.
reactions to this. Official requests to this end to serve their religious needs. As I was winding up the work on this anal-
were made, but we were Informed that this The synagogue at Voronezh has been taken ysis, I received a communication from a
was not possible as they were all on holiday, over by the authorities for use as a grata group of professors of the Social Sciences Di-
while Halkin (a Jewish writer who survived), warehouse. The Jewish community has been vision of Fairleigh Dickenson University, who
who was at home, was too ill to receive any- unable to raise the money required to re- had toured the Soviet Union last summer.
deem It. Appalled by the many evidences of Soviet
one. T came the d scovery from privatd In Ydvpatorlya, in the Crimea, the author - anti-Semitism, they wrote letters last No-
conversations by Coirrade Levy with Jews ties confiscated 25,000 rubles raised by Ile vember and December to 10 leeading Soviet
sei
that the years 1948-52 were known among Jewish community to rent a building for a educators edand itor i ors, Izvestiaincluding lekaw , and son-in
from du thnefg synagogue. ues, the Jews have a:- of Nikita Khrushchev. Their letters pointed
which them as many the Jews k ward years, emithesed period
t Deprived of synagogues,
Jewish poets and writers were arrested tempted to pursue their worship in private out that the Jews do not appear to enjoy
and charged with treason and executed. Yid. prayer meetings. Such prayer meetings halls the rights guaranteed by Soviet laws and pro-
dish disappeared from the street and market. been reported forcibly dispersed in the citi is fessed by the Communist philosophy, and
place, the population 'dosed up together, be- of Kharkov, Olevsk, Tula, Bobruisk, Vitebsk, they asked for a detailed explanation of this
coming tense and nervy, and young Jews who and other places. In Vitebsk the Jews were anomalous situation. To date only one So-
might otherwise have merged with the gen- threatened with 10 years in prison if they r- viet editor has deigned to reply. The reply
eral population and hove forgotten that theT sumed their meetings. said that their letter had been forwarded to
were Jews, awoke to a new sense of unity It In liendery, Baranovich, Minsk, Kishinev, somebody else.
distress." Voronezh, and Kiev. Jewish cemeteries have In their letter to me, the group of Amer-
"But let it be said that this fear did not been desecrated and memorials defaced. lean professors wrote: "Our observations
emanate from any general feeling of antag- In Eiev, Kharkov, Kuibyshev, Rostov, Kiss- have led us to the unhappy conclusions that
onism from among the Russian population. Inev, Odessa, and Lvov, a ban was imposed anti-Semitism in the U.S.S.R. Is not an ata-
but from official or quasi-official sources; on the baking of matzoh, the unleavened vistic remnant of czarist Russia, but is the
from the security police, in fact." bread which plays a central role in the Pss$- official - policy of the Government of the
This report, I want to emphasize. was over cbservaaee. To my mind, there could U.S.S.R"
written not by critic; of the Soviet regimt. be no more pitiless or more pointless dep.,,-I- In Rumania, in Hungary, and especially
vation than this. In Poland under Prime Minister Gomulka,
but by members of the British Communt@t For the Jewish population of almost 3 mil- there appears to have been limited improve-
Party lion, there are only 60 rabbis In the whole of ment in the treatment of Jews. In these
The furor which such articles caused in the Soviet Union. Their average age is well countries. while they still suffer from dis-
ns. in the course in over 70. In the case of the Orthodox rellgt~n crimination and economic disabilities, Jew-
t movement ahe worm Commconcess! unist,
1957, the first time si In tee a revolution, in Russia, there Is 1 priest for every 5.(00 ish cultural, and religious life now enjoy
thefor the first time since the sh a small faithful. This is bad enough. But In the somewhat increased freedom. This limited
the tows were permitted to establish a rs case of the Jewish religion there is anti 1 improvement in the satellite countries is, of
theological seminary in Mte p Publicatioion rabbi for every 50,000 Jews. With virtually course, subject to Instant recall if it ever
sloe was nlso granted y for the pa i
t no replacements in sight, the situation is serves Communist purposes.
for a shalt number of prayer books rec - bound to become worse over the coming Why to there this difference between Soviet
for the staging ti some Yiddish music Y14- ye olic toward the Jews and the policy pres-
dls, fwrite ter pn Russ ofn a trafew nslation. wlationon. . of Yf4 Years. Orthodox Church and the Moslem r;:{t- policy pursued In some of the satellites? I
dish wrs in Russia the concessions ion have been permitted to maintain a num- can think of two reasons.
eBpi this is as far romises to coto Com nl went. gion of seminaries. The only Jewish semin try The first reason is that the Soviet Govern-
delegations pr Union erm tted Is limited to an attendance of 20 ment is more directly interested than are the
elerio5s the which reesl;4;bllshment of visited the Soviet d Yiddish students. Patricia Blake, in her article to satellites in influencing Arab opinion in the
1955, after r and Yiddish press and Yiddish sib- Life magazine last December, has described Middle East and in preventing any settle-
theater and Yiddish press and Pub how these 20 students pursue their studies in ment between the Arab States and Israel.
Itching house was never permitted. . Instead. . the corners of the Moscow synagogue. becalse Soviet anti-Semitism and Soviet strategic
t again Jews was 1 an acblic licr life, , in the national di the national no space has been made available for tl err objectives in the Middle East complement
In the public field. seminary each other. Arab nationalism must be wooed
economy, and o The teaching of Hebrew remains under the and fanned by constantly identifying Israel
The Jewish population
oxim.tel ate of the Soviet Union ban imposed at the time of the revolution. and Zionism with British and American im-
poprnulyation1. 1.4 In perc1956, ent of y 3 In tie 40 years of Soviet rule, no more than perialism,
coun ey's represents total po approximately
1,338 members of the Supreme e So- several thousand Hebrew prayer books have Let me give you one example of the Krem-
otff the h S 3
viet--one-fourth of 1 percent of the total- been printed; only several hundred 'its- lin's propaganda to the Arab world. I quote
could be identified as Jews. On a per capita tributed. from the publication "The State of Israel-
basis, this would signify that the Jews had Orenly anti-Semitic books and pubi ca- Its Position and Policies," printed by the So-
only one-sixth the political representation tiona are appearing with Increasing ;re- viet state publishing house in 1958:
to which they were entitled. querecy. The villains in this literature a avll "The Zionist movement represents a-form
So far as is known, no Jew is to be fotpnd adhc re to a single stereotype. They all of the nationalistic ideology of the rich Jew-
In the foreign ser"ice, among the higper unmistakably Jewish names; they are all ish bourgeoisie, intimately tied to imperial-
ranks of the armed forces, or in the various moneygrubbere, without human feeling, die- tam and to colonial oppression of the people
military academies. Jews are also excluded honest in their relations with the state and of Asia, Zionism has tied itself to American
from leading posts in the Communist their fellow men. and other Western capitalism and, with Jew-
Party, from the central party newspapers Whether a Jew Is religious or nonreligt)us, ish terrorist tactics, attacked its Arab neigh-
and the foreign section of the Soviet press. whether he is pro-Communist or anti- bore. The national liberation movement of
Jews are progressively being excluded from Communist, he has no way of escaping the the people of the Middle East, spearheaded by
admission to the universities. fate which the Soviet regime has ordaned its native leaders (such as President Nasser'
The facts which I have just listed here for 'iris people. The word "Jew" Is stamped King Thn Saud. of Saudi Arabia, and King
were part of a statement issued by the on his Internal passport-the document Iman Ahmad, of Yemen) is constantly
American Jewish Committee In conjunction which is the key to a man's exiatenc-r in threatened by naked Jewish aggression. The
with their meeting with First Deputy Pre- every Communist country. This Inscription clear duty of all Marxists and Communists in
mier Anastas Mikoyan in January 1959. is not Intended as a religious identification this situation Is to help the Asian and
Since that time, there seems to have been a because the members of no other religious African people crush the reactionary Jewish
further deterioration in the position of the groups are thus Identified. The Soviet in- forces."
Soviet Jews. terr.ai passport does state the nationality of The second explanation I can think of for
What is the situation today in the Soviet the bearer, but the Kremlin apparently does the intensified anti-Semitism in the Soviet
Union? Let me lint only a few Items from not recognize the Jews as a nationality be- Union today is the personally irrational at-
the current catalog:; on Soviet anti-Semitssm cause it refuses to grant them the most ele- titude of Prime Minister Khrushchev. The
that have been compiled by the New York mentary communal rights enjoyed by the Anti-Defamation League has stated that the
Times, the New York Herald Tribune, the amr.llest and most primitive national group- primitive. vulgar anti-Semitic tone charac-
New Leader, and other publications. ings in the U.S.S.R. The marked passports teristic of Khrushehev's occasional interviews
A few months ago the synagogue in'-the of the Soviet Jews serve only one purpose: and outbursts on the subject of the Jews is
town of Malachovka near Moscow was set on the same purpose served In Its time b} the unmistakable. This evaluation coincides
fire. yellow badge which the Nazis compelled the with that of the most prominent Jewish idi The synagogues of Chernovtsky. Bobruisk, Jews fto wear for factory purpose nf ee1f~ ?nti- membeBof the'ergnadia a Communist
interview
Korosten, Baranovach, Kharkov, NovoselRtsa,
Orenburg, Cherni3ov, Staline. Babushkin, university president. to every party bureau- with the Soviet Premier in August 1956.
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE
According to Mr. Salsberg, Khrushchev first
of all denied that there was anti-Semitism
in the Soviet Union; and then went on to
list a whole series of personal objections to
Jews. He quoted the Soviet Prime Minister
as saying that:
"Wherever a Jew settles, the first thing he
does is build a synagogue.
"Of the thousands of Soviet citizens who
have toured abroad, only three failed to re-
turn. All of them were Jews. "* * * He (Khrushchev] agreed with
Stalin that the Crimea, which had been de-
populated at the war's end, should not be
turned into a Jewish colonization center, be-
cause, in case of war, it would be turned into
a base for attacking the U.S.S.R.
"'I was much disturbed by the above re-
marks,' concluded Mr. Salsberg. 'They re-
flect a backward prejudice against the Jewish
group as a people.' * * * Khrushchev's state-
ments smack of White Russian chauvi-
nism * * * his approach to the problem of
Jewish nationality Is an unforgiveable vio-
lation of social democracy. If Khrushchev's
distrust of the Jewish people is warranted,
then this is a terrible indictment, not of
Soviet Jewry, but of Stalinist crimes and of
distortions in the nationalities policy, in par-
ticular as it is applied to the Jewish people.' "
This Is the Khrushchev who today accuses
Konrad Adenauer of being another Hitler.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL: 37TH
SESSION
(Statement by Ambassador Moshe Bartur,
Permanent Representative of Israel to the
European Office of the United Nations-
Geneva)
Mr. Chairman, my government and the
people of Israel have followed closely and
with the deepest interest the work of ECOSOC
and its Committee on Human Rights with
regard to the problems of religious intoler-
ance and racial discrimination. There is
no need for any explanation of this special
concern by Jews in general and the State of
Israel in particular. It flows naturally from
ancient and most recent historical experi-
ence alike. As I had ocacsion to point out
in a statement last year in the Human Rights
Commission, it is difficult, if not impossible,
to distinguish between various forms of
anti-Jewish movements and manifestations
of racial and religious discrimination. Relig-
ious and racial persecution derive from the
same source. Anti-Semitism constitutes an
age-old curse, of which mankind has not yet
been able to rid itself. It is our fervent hope
and desire that In our generation-experienc-
ing spectacular technological progress, when
medicine is' conquering biological diseases
affecting men-social thought, through in-
ternational action, might finally overcome
the scourge of discrimination and anti-
Semitism. We, therefore, welcome enthusi-
astically the progress achieved with regard
to the Convention on Racial Discrimination.
We believe that the article on anti-Semitism
as suggested by the United States is vitally
important and extremely topical and we hope
that it will be included in the final draft.
We likewise welcome the detailed suggestions
In the report of the subcommission with re-
gard to the subject of religious intolerance.
However, we have to evaluate this progress
in the light of the actual situation, and,
alas, here the facts are extremely disquieting.
There is certainly no room for complacence
when reviewing the state of affairs in a real-
istic manner. Irrespective of social systems
and environments anti-Semitism remains an
endemic disease in many countries causing,
from time to time, dangerous outbreaks In
various parts of the world. There is only one
consolation. At present almost nowhere
I. it taking the form of a declared government
policy; on the contrary, international con-
science-and here we gladly recognize the
decisive role of United Nations work-is, so
we hope and believe, creating. a climate in
which active racial and religious persecu-
tion finds it progressively more difficult to
survive, and we trust will finally be over-
come and eliminated. This makes it the
more urgent to deal with it openly and cour-
ageously in those areas where it still exists
in a most acute form. I am referring espe-
cially to the problem with regard to the larg-
est Jewish community in Europe. Here we
are confronted with a situation causing the
deepest anxiety and one which is Indeed of a
most dramatic character for two main rea-
sons: First, it is one of the largest Jewish
communities surviving the Nazi massacre-
approximately 3 million people. Secondly,
this community Is part of a highly organized
State and society where central authority
influences and directs all spheres of eco-
pomic and cultural activity. And here we
witness a systematic attempt to dispossess
the Jewish community of its religious, cul-
tural, and linguistic heritage. Opportunity
and facilities for Jewish education are de-
nied; ties and communication with other
Jewish communities in Israel or elsewhere
are prevented; a systematic campaign of in-
doctrination proclaims the duty of bringing
about the severance of the historical con-
tinuity and the complete extinction of na-
tional identity.
It is true, there is no persecution in the
physical sense of the word. But Is not the
campaign -of artificial assimilation enforced
by the strong apparatus of a powerful State
almost as grave a phenomenon?
I know that the representatives of the
Government concerned do not accept this
factful analysis. They try to describe as-
similation as a result of the spontaneous
wish of the Jews themselves. But if so, what
need would there then be to deny the Jewish
community free access and communication
with their coreligionists abroad? Why then
are Jews in this country not free if they wish
to join their families abroad-in Israel or
elsewhere?
We are accustomed to hear another argu-
ment brought forward in apology, when at-
tention is called to the situation of the Jews
In the country referred to. This is some-
times characterized as flowing from senti-
ments of hostility toward a certain ideo-
logical or political system. Any such con-
tention represents a dangerous misunder
standing, preventing realistic analysis and
constructive approach toward a solution of
the Jewish problem in this country.
May I state most emphatically, Mr. Chair-
man, that my Government, in raising these
painful matters, is motivated by two con-
siderations only: (1) Our obvious moral
duty to call attention to a serious situation
understandably very close to our heart.
(2) We are convinced that this situation is
an obstacle in the way of necessary moral
and spiritual rapprochement of powers
and groups of countries, which must go to-
gether with the generally desired relief in
world tension.
Indeed, our deep worry in view of the
situation described is shared by many who
can certainly not be suspected of any un-
favorable bias toward the country concerned
and its system. May I prove this submission
by some quotations:
In May and June this year Mr. Paul Novick,
the editor of the only Communist daily news-
paper published in the United States-the
"Morning Freihait," which deals with the
thesis of "Voluntary Assimilation"-in a se-
ries of three extremely interesting articles,
said.
"The line of forced assimilation which-
began with the Stalin cult has in the main,
remained intact."
-Certainly the editor of this Communist
newspaper which, as it happens, is printed
in Yiddish, cannot be accused of being "cold
warmonger". Moreover, he bases his,conten-
tions on a quotation from Lenin's writings
as follows:
"Every citizen would be able to demand
the rescinding of orders that would, for
example, prohibit the hiring at state ex-
pense, of teachers of the Jewish language,
Jewish history, and so forth, or the provi-
sion of state-owned premises for lectures for
Jewish, Armenian or Rumanian children,
or even for one Georgian child."
Then with regard to religious discrimina-
tion and indigenous anti-Semitism, may we
call as witness the theoretical organ of the
Communist Party in the United States.
"Political Affairs," which writes, under
the heading "Soviet Anti-Semitism: The
Kitchko Book'".
"While the Greek Orthodox Church can
.manage to provide for Its needs in the way
of religious articles, the synagogues cannot,
and are therefore deprived of access to such
things as tallisim, tfiilin and prayer books.
The crude antiregilionism which pervades
much of the current antireligious propaganda
and the failure to appreciate sufficiently the
special situation of the Jewish religion in
these respects are, we believe, central factors
in explaining such seemingly pointless ac-
tions as the creation of difficulties in secur-
ing matzos for the Passover, actions which
give encouragement, even though unintend-
ed, to remnants of anti-Semitism at home."
The attitude of the editors of this official
publication is no less forthright on the ques-
tion whether the government is or is not
doing enough to. combat this indigenous
anti-Semitism.
After emphasizing:
"the great tenacity of national and racial
prejudice and the need to wage relentless
ideological war against it." -
They write:
"It is, we believe, an unjustified feeling
that the fight is over, and consequently an
insensitivity to continued expressions of anti-
Semitism and a failure to see the need of an
open campaign to eradicate every vestige of
it, that account for the appearance of such
monstrosities as Judaism Without Embellish-
ment."
(Similar quotations may be found in the
Communist press of France, Italy, and other
countries.)
The reference is to the notorious anti-
Semitic book by Kitchko, which was pub-
lished by the Academy of Science of a certain
Republic and which was allegedly withdrawn
from distribution following worldwide pub-
'lic, indignation. But unfortunately books of
no less poisonous character are still being
distributed in hundreds of thousands of
copies.
May I beg your indulgence, Mr, Chairman,
for a few more minutes in order to acquaint
the Council considering the report of the
Human Rights Commission with the problem
in all its frightening seriousness. As illus-
tration, some quotations from sources inside
the country concerned. I am referring to
two books, one published in 1962; namely, a
translated' reprint of an 18th century anti-
Semitic tract entitled "Image of the Saints"
now reissued in a large popular edition leav-
ing the reader with the impression that he
is confronted with a modern, up-to-date ex-
position of the case. The second book pub-
lished in 1963, likewise in a large popular
edition entitled "Catechism In Its True
Colour" written by a certain Mr. Osipov.
"The Hebrews, rendered rebellious and
fanatical by the antisocial principles of their
religion, were always far from submissive
to those that ruled over them. Elated by
the vain tricks that their proests and vi-
sionaries performed, they became very diffi-
cult subjects and neighbors. Devoid of all
morality and blinded by superstition, they
considered holy and praiseworthy all and
any means to put a stop to or palliate the
evils which they had brought upon - them-
selves. Although the idol worshipers were
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE August 10
usually extremely tolerant of other cults,'
they found themselves forced to persecute
the Jews, whose religion rendered them sedi-
tious, cruel, and hostile to all foreign powers
Such would appear to be the real cause of
the persecution and ill treatment that the
Jews had continuously to suffer at the hands
of their pagan rulers. They were alway4
restive under the foreign yoke and their
visionaries did everything to encourage this
undesirable dlspositloa which could not but
render them more unasppy. The Jews have
always, due to their religion, been the ene-
mies of the rest of mankind, so It Is natural
that mankind should always have been hog-
tile to them and sought to do them harm,"
(Tableau des Saints by Paul Henri Thiry,
Baron of Holbach, pg. 41-42.)
"We cannot therefore be surprised that
such a people should always have been cruel,
perfidious, rebellious, Intolerant, and false,
not that the fatal impetus in that direction,
first given them by Moses and other fanatics,
should have made their nature what It still
is today. This depravity, sanctioned by re-
ligion, Was the just cause of the sufferings,
mishaps, and llltrcatment undergone by
Jews in nearly all the ages." (Tableau des
Saints, by Paul Henri Thiry, Baron of Hot-
bach, p. 43.)
"As a result of these religious principles,
established by Moser and upheld by his suc-
cessors, the Jews have always Ignored the
most fundamental moral obligations and
principles of human law. Outside of their
own circle nothing was sacred to them, Be-
havior that was Intolerant, cruel, inhuman,
theft, treachery, i.nd perfidy were com-
manded as being :agreeable to God, In a
word, the Israeliten were a people of brig-
ands." (Tableau des Sainte, by Paul Henri
Thiry, Baron of Hol'lach, p. 69.)
"Where Jews are concerned, the main and
only bloodsucker tarn out to be God him
self. As the Mighty One, he appropriates the
lion's share of the catch, and first and fore-
most its 'strong' part-blood. He nourished
himself with it, became strong at the ex-
pense of his earttly subjects, just like the
immortal Kaschei of the Russian popular
tales. Yes, the Jewish God resembles
Kaschei both in character and actions."
(Moscow Goepolitlzdat-State Publishing
House for Politics'. Literature--1903, p. 276.)
"The first thing we come across is the
preaching of Intolerance, the bloody extermi-
nation of peoples of other faiths, the land of
which the Jews themselves prepared to
selze-Gad recom-nends real racial discrimi-
nation of the Jews." (Moscow Gospolltlz-
dat-State Publishing House for Political
Literature-1963, p. 281.)
In referring to the Ten Commandments,
Mr. Osipov concludes:
"A greedy silver-loving clergy, afraid to
leave a single piece on somebody else's
plate."
Mr. Chairman, these are excerpts as I said,
one from a boot.: published In 1982, issued
in 175,000 copies the second written ljy Mr.
Osipov, printed in 1963 and issued in 106,000
copies, both by the State Publishing House
for Political Literature. Unfortunately there
are publications of poisonous racial content
in many countries, slandering Negroes, Jews,
and other minorities, but nowhere with the
exception of the country concerned are these
publications spcnaored or Issued under the
auspices of governments, by state publishing
houses or national academies.
Mr. Chairman, I trust you will appreciate
that if public opinion is thus guided by
state publishing; houses and national acad-
emies of science, there is Indeed very. reason
for urgent alarri. We believe that the coun-
cil would fall In its duty if taking them
lightly.
May I come back for a moment to a point
I referred to ea-lier in my remarks. I am re-
ferring to the acute human problem of re-
union of families. The Second World War,
the changes in international frontiers in
Europe. and the general destruction and up-
rooting of European Jewry, caused thousands
of fam'ltes to be broken up, blown away, as
It were, in different directions thousands cif
kilometers apart. The principle of reunion
has been universally recognized and In many
cases also in the area referred to is It Impie-
menteii- for example, in the case of familttas
of Polish. Armenian, and other nationalities.
In the case of Jewish families, adminiatratl?"e
and other hurdles still block the path f )T
those who ardently desire to join their fami-
lies in Israel or elsewhere.
It is high time, we believe, for the na-
tional authorities concerned most direct y,
as we'] as for the international community,
to take constructive and urgent action so as
to reriedy an insufferable situation for mil-
lions of people gravely affected In their bade
human, religious, and cultural rights. Thair
situation is, we are convinced, flagrantly in-
compatible with the spirit of our time and
the convictions and desires of the family of
nations.
(From Survey, August 19641
THE STmTua or JEws IN Tae SOVIET UN ON
(Our constitution proclaims the equality
the ?eltizens of the U.S.S.R. Irrespective of
their nationality and race, and declares that
"any advocacy of racial or national exclus ve-
ness_ or hatred, or contempt Is punishable
by law"-Marra KIIatJBHCHEv.)
There are, officially, 108 nationalities in the
Soviet Union. Under Soviet law Jews are
formally recognized as a nationality group-
the Iith largest In the U.S.S.R. A Jewish
youth at 16 :appears--as does every Soviet
citis:en-before the local registrar to obtain
his internal "passport." This Is a personal
Identity card which he will use the rest of
his life; for education, work, residence,
travel. It lists his nationality: Yevrei, 'or a
Jen '
The 16-year-old will provide the registrar
with documents specifying the nationality of
each of his parents. If both are Jewisl., his
nationality Is the same. If his parents are
of different nationalities, he has the o3tlon
of choosing either one. Mixed marriages of
this kind are atypical, so the option 19 not
a significant factor in the Soviet population
pa-,tern. Soviet Jewish population is Just under
3 million
An official census* counted 2,288,000 Jews
in the UBB.R-1.09 percent of the Soviet
population. Some observers contend shat 3
million is a more accurate estimate; since
census takers accepted a respondent's an-
swers without checking his documents many
Jews, particularly those married to non-Jews,
could have suppressed their Jewish origin.
But given the psychological factors that op-
elate In Soviet society it Is unlikely that a
great number would hide the truth flour an
cr cial census taker. The actual number of
Jews Is probably higher than the of ic'al eta-
t'.stics, but not as high as 3 million.
The Nazi barbarism of World War II deci-
nrated Soviet Jewry. A 1939 census recorded
3,020,000 Jews. During 1039-41, 1900,000
were added through the U.S.S.R.'s tnnexa-
lions of Western lands. An estimated 2.500,-
000 were killed, dispersed, or otherwise lost
during the war.
In urbanized arena, where 95 percent lives,
the Jewish population rank is high. probably
3th.'
In March 1964 Premier Khrushchev in-
h eated that the Internal passport may be
superseded by "a labor identification docu-
ment" which would not emphasize nation-
ality.
January 1959.
Only Russians, Ukrainians and probably
Byelorussians and Tatars have more city
dwellers.
Most Jews reside In the three major West-
ern republics; Russian Federation, 38 per-
cent; Ukraine, 37 percent; Byelorussia, 7 per-
cent. Another 15 percent lives in six other
Soviet Republics; the remaining 95,000 are
scattered In two Caucasus and four Central
Asian republics.
There are, broadly speaking, three types of
Jewish groups in the U.S.S.R.:
I. Those who have lived in the major Slavic
republics since the October Revolution; they
have been subject to the Russification proc-
ess for almost two generations.
2. Those who live in territories annexed
by the Soviet Union during 1939-41-Western
Byelorussia, Galicia, Ruthenia, Latvia, Es-
tonls, Lithuania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina.
Less "communized," they have deeper aware-
ness of their Jewish tradition.
3. The Eastern Jews of Bokhara, Daghes-
tan, and Georgia. This is a group with an
ancient lineage; here the Jewish religion is
strong, although the Yiddish culture com-
monly associated with East European Jews
does not exist.
In the 1959 census, 400,000 Jews-about
18 percent-listed Yiddish as their "native
language." This Is the lowest proportion
among all Soviet nationalities that are iden-
tified with a rational language. (Corre-
sponding figures for other major Soviet na-
tionalities range from 78 percent to the high
nineties.) But the proportion who use Yid-
dish is understandably higher In the Western
borderlands were Communist rule began in
1939-41. In Riga (Latvia) 48 percent of the
Jews Identified Yiddish as their language, in
Vilna and Kovno (Lithuania) 69 percent.
And according to a Soviet Jewish researcher,
Yakov Kantor, the number using Yiddish in
the Ukraine, Byelorussia, and Moldavia Is
higher than the 18-percent average for the
U.S.S.R. Kant3r's study also reports that
many Jews who know and use Yiddish did
not list it as their native language. "Many
people who speak and read Yiddish, enjoy
Yiddish books and appreciate Yiddish plays,
nevertheless gave [to the census taker] Rus-
sian as their language since they spoke Rus-
sian at work, in the street and, to an extent,
at home." 4
In addition to according. legal recognition
to a Jewish nationality, the Soviet Union
also formally recognizes the Jewish religion.
The Council of Affairs of Religious Cults, a
five-member government body, is charged
with servicing the needs of non-Orthodox
groups In the U.S.S.R. In 1960, a member of
the council reported there were 500,000 ob-
servant Jews In the Soviet Union.
A dual community of religion and
nationality
This dual character for the Jewish com-
munity Is unique in Soviet society and makes
for special difiicuities. (Other minority reli-
gious groups-Catholics, Baptists, Moslems,
Lutherans, Ituddhtsta--are not linked di-
rectly to a nationality.) An attack upon
Judaism by an atheistically oriented Com-
munist Party can hardly avoid being Inter-
preted by the Soviet people, particularly So-
viet Jews, as an attack upon the Jewish
nationality.
Two other characteristics distinguish the
Jewish community from most Soviet minor-
ities.
First. Its dispersal throughout the U.S.S.R.
Efforts In the 1930's to establish an autono-
. ihleter for Geslehte XV (1962--63), pub-
lished in Warsaw, 1964. Kantor uses the
oft-quoted figure of 20.8 percent as the ratio
of Jews who reported Yiddish as their "na-
tive language." The difference In figures is
attributable to the fact that the "native"
language" of Jews living in Georgia, Daghes-
tan and Central Asia is a language other than
Yiddish. In any case, the Yiddish-speaking
element in the U.S.S.R., as Kantor shows, is
much greater than the census figure suggests.
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1961 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE 18199'
mous Jewish republic in Birobidjan by en- In the 1930's there were almost a score of during the last 2 years. By comparison, 49
couraging Jewish migration there foun- permanent Jewish theatrical companies. books were published in 1962 in the Mari
dered on the indifference of Soviet Jews for Directors and actors were trained in the language; 109 in the Yakut language. Among
whom the area held little attraction and no Jewish Department of the Kiev Dramatic larger nationalities (but not as large as the
l
1 000 I
i
_
._-_._._
,- - . -. ..
historical sentimen+ Toda
y, on
y
nst
tute an
-
t the
live in Birobidjan.
Second, Soviet Jewry's ties of peoplehood,
through religion and folklore, with a world
Jewry that is concentrated in Western lands.
This tends to make Soviet Jews vulnerable in
the suspicious eyes of the Russians, a sus-
picion heightened by the East-West cold
war.
Soviet Jews cannot escape being appre-
hensive about their vulnerability. They
remember the post-war years when the
Stalinist mania for what is now called the
cult of personality expressed itself, among
other ways, in anti-Jewish terror. It began
in 1948 with an anticosmopolitan campaign
in the press that implied many Jews were
disloyal. Yiddish institutions were dis-
mantled and the Jewish cultural movement
was stifled. In 1952 26 leading Jewish intel-
lectuals were secretly tried and executed.
During the "black years" of 1948-53 hun-
dreds of Jewish leaders were sent to concen-
tration camps, from which many never re-
turned. Others were removed from their
jobs. The despair among Soviet Jews was so
intense that many had their belongings
packed, expecting exile to the Far East. The
climax came in January, 1953 when, after 4
years of heightened and stimulated suspicion
against Jews, Pravda helped create a pogram
atmosphere by charging that Jewish mur-
der-physicians had planned to assassinate
Soviet. military and civilian leaders in a
doctors' plot.
After Stalin's death, exposure of the plot
as a hoax ended the physical threat to Jews.
But the fears still linger, especially since
the present regime has made only half-
hearted efforts to condemn the anti-Semitic
aspects of the black years and rehabilitate
its victims.
I. THE DENIAL OF CULTURAL RIGHTS
The Soviet Union takes pride in its na-
tionality policy. When he addressed the
United Nations General Assembly in Septem-
ber 1960, Premier Khrushchev made a special
point of describing its achievements, par-
ticularly the transformation into an ad-
vanced social and cultural status of back-
-ward nationality groups that had been kept
in subjugation in the czar's prison of
nations.
Yiddish culture flourished until late in the
1930's
In the early days of the U.S.S.R., the
Council of People's Commissars laid down
the principle of free development of the na-
tional minorities and ethnographic groups
which live within Soviet Russia. There were
regulations guaranteeing to national minori-
ties the right to their own language, to have
it taught in schools, published in newspapers
and used in the courts, and to develop indi-
vidual cultures that would be national in
form and socialist in content. These rights,
for the most part, have been implemented,
even for the 12,000 Chukchi, smallest na-
tionality group in the Soviet Union.
The Jews are the singular exception. They
are denied the cultural institutions-schools,
theaters, press, literature-enjoyed by vir-
tually every other national minority.
This was not always so. In the 1920's and
1930's there was an extensive system of Yid-
dish schools. As late as 1940 (notwithstand-
ing a continuing decline just before World
War II it enrolled 90,000 youngsters. Since
the 1940's there has not been a single Yiddish
or Hebrew school in the entire U.S.S.R s
5Ironically, a new 766-page Hebrew-Rus-
sian dictionary, compiled by the late Prof.
F. L. Shapiro, was recently published in Mos-
cow.
Minsk. The Yiddish Art Theater in Moscow, in Kazakh.
ranked among the best Soviet dramatic the- Yiddish concerts are the single cultural
aters, was closed down by Stalin in 1949, its medium still widely prevalent, and they have
leading actor, Solomon Mikhoels, having a standing room only popularity. The Min-
been murdered in 1948 by the secret police. istry of Culture reported that in 1957 alone
There is no permanent Yiddish theater in there were 3,000 such concerts, averaging
the U.S.S.R. today.6 By contrast, the 130,000 1,000 paid admissions each-a total attend-
Gypsies in the Soviet Union have one in ance (Jews and non-Jews) of 3 million. Be-
Moscow, and the Government of Communist tween June 1960 and June 1961, says Soviet-
Poland, where only 30,000 Jews remain, still ish Heimland Editor Aron Vergelis, more
A Yiddish press and literature once
flourished in the U:S.S.R. Prior to World War
U there were three daily newspapers and five
literary journals. In 1948 all of them dis-
appeared. There is no longer any Yiddish
daily? But the Marls, a small nationality
group (504,000 population), has 7 news-
papers; the Yakuts (238,000) have 10.
In August 1961, Sovietish Heimland, a bi-
monthly literary review, began publication-
the first Yiddish magazine to appear in the
U.S.S.R. in 14 years. The idea had been dis-
cussed for 8 years. The magazine began with
a limited press run of 25,000 copies. The
likelihood is that it would never have ap-
peared except for outside pressures chal-
lenging the discriminatory Soviet policy to-
ward Yiddish culture. Soviet Minister of
Culture Yekaterina Furtseva told Andre
Blumel, vice chairman of the Franco=Soviet
Friendship Society, that if the Soviet Union
did anything at all for Yiddish culture "it
would not be for domestic reasons but to
please our friends abroad." 8
Some critics at first dismissed Sovietish
Heimland as a forum for Communist litera-
ture with little material about Jewish life in
the Soviet Union or abroad. But an analysis
of its first 3 years shows 320 articles by
some 100 Jewish authors, and many of the
stories and poems have meaningful Jewish
content. In the absence of any other Jewish
secular institution, the magazine has estab-
lished itself as a focal point of Yiddish ac-
tivity, organizing a number of discussions
and conferences, one of which was attended
by 700 persons. The Soviet's Union of
Writers has expressed satisfaction with Sovi-
etish Heimland, and recently its size has
been increased to meet a growing interest.
During 1933-37 a single Yiddish publish-
ing house turned out 852 books (6,250,000
copies). In 1939, 339 Yiddish books were
published. Between 1948 and 1959-none.
Since then 5 Yiddish works-30,000 copies
of each-have been authorized .0 None is by
a living Soviet writer. No work has appeared
'In 1962 a traveling troupe headed by Ben-
iamin Schwartser toured the Ukraine and
Central Asia for 2 months, then, in February
1963, played four performances in Moscow of
Sholem Aleichem's Tevye, the Milkman in
Yiddish. An audience of 800 cheered the
opening night.
7Birobidjaner Shtern, a small triweekly
of 1,500 circulation, is published in Yiddish
in Birobidjan. For a time, thousands of So-
viet Jews subscribed to the Yiddish language
Die Folksstimme, published in Warsaw. So-
viet authorities halted the practice.
8 They met in Moscow in 1960. Gen.
David Dragunsky, a Soviet spokesman on
Jewish issues, made the same admission
when he was interviewed in Paris a year later.
Discussing the few Yiddish books that had
been published, the General said: "Frankly
speaking, they are being published more for
political reasons' than in answer to a real
need."
6 One additional work-a compilation of
pieces of former Birobidjan Jewish writers-
has also been approved.
ing the few active Yiddish artists such as the
famed Nechama Lifshutz.I6 When Jan
Peerce, the Metropolitan Opera tenor, per-
formed in the Soviet Union in May 1963 he
drew sell-out houses and thunderous ova-
tions for his Hebrew and Yiddish songs.
Jewish folklore is denied the freedom to
perpetuate
About 40 Jewish folksongs have been re-
corded and released by the Ministry of Cul-
ture. A book of 150 folksongs, printed in
Yiddish and Russian, has been published
(but in an edition of only a few -hundred
copies). A conference of Jewish composers
and artists held late in 1961 in the offices of
Sovietish Heimland dealt with the future of
Jewish music in the U.S.S.R. According to
a report from Moscow, the discussion cen-
tered on the need to introduce themes of the
present into Jewish songs.
Notwithstanding their immense popu-
larity, "one wonders how long the concerts -
can continue," writes journalist Maurice
Hindus, a close observer of the Soviet scene.
"The performers are nearly all former actors
and actresses of Yiddish theaters. They are
advanced in years and there is no school to
train young talent. In a country that has
earnestly dedicated itself to convert folk-
lore into one of the great arts of our times,
Jews are the only people deprived of the
opportunity to perpetuate their folklore.
There is no Jewish clubhouse anywhere in
the Soviet Union, not a single theatrical
school to train professional performers.
When the performers of today pass from life,
they will carry with them to their graves the
one cultural heritage that the Soviets
allow." 11
How do Soviet authorities justify their
dismantling of Jewish cultural life? One ex-
planation they give is that Jewish dispersal
in Soviet Russia means a burdensome cost
to finance cultural institutions. Khrushchev
told a vistfor, Prof. Jerome Davis; 12
"If we have 7-year schools for Jews in
the Jewish language, where could the gradu-
ates go? We would have to establish 10-
year schools and special universities for them.
The Jews are dispersed and engulfed in the
culture where they live. If they want to
create a state within our borders, like Biro-
bidjan, nobody is against this. But to set
up separate schools all over Russia would be
expensive."
Since most Soviet nationalities are- con-
centrated in their own territories, it simpli-
fies the development of their cultural insti-
tutions. Yet the Soviet Government has
not been unwilling to encourage the cultural
growth of small nationalities. The Tadzhik
minority that lives in the Uzbek Republic
and Poles living in Byelorussia and Lith-
uania are secure in their cultural rights.
Since 1955, more than 1 million Volga Ger-
Y0 There was also an amateur Jewish choral
group of 100 in Riga that reportedly dis-
banded in late 1963. A small choral group
performs in Vilna. Recently a Yiddish con-
cert troupe was formed in Leningrad.
11 "House Without a Roof," 1961.
361957.- - -
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18200 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE August 10
mans (who in 1941 wer, forcibly transported eat edition reduced this to two pages." Th( produced a documentary film on the liquida-
to Siberia and the Urals, then allowed to re- martyrdom of Soviet Jews during the Nazi tion of the Minsk Jewish community. There
establish themselves I.fter the war), have era is given little attenion. Sabi Yar, thu have been several Soviet trials of fJazi col-
had German-language schools, a weekly site ner.r Kiev of the mass annihilation o'. laborators who had a hand in the extermina-
journal published in Moscow, a newspaper 100,000 Jews by the Nazis. was to have been tion of Jews, and Soviet authorities made
published In the Alta' region. In Russian commemorated with a memorial. This wa.I evidence of anti-Jewish war crimes available
schools where German children are enrolled,: abandoned; Instead there were reports that to a West German court in Coblenz.
the German language is taught. Radio eta-. a park and stadium were to be built on th But these are sprinkled exceptions. The
tions In Alma Ate a-ad Tsellnograd carry: site of ,he massacre. A distinguished Soviet customary Soviet attitude is to shrug off or
regular German language programs. writer. Viktor Nekrasov, asked in Literature ignore the martyrdom of 6 million Jews.
Another justificatior given by the Soviets nets Gazeta: '. Or, as with Yevtehenko, condemn those
is that Jews are assimilating and do not "Is this possible? Who could have thought who recall Its grim tragedies. The Eichmann
want to retain a Yiddish culture. "Even If of such a thing? To f111 a ravine and on tbs trial was deliberately played down in the
Jewish schools were 3stablished, very few site of such a colossal tragedy to make merry Soviet press" The "Diary of Anne Frank,"
would attend them voluntarily," Khru- and pi iy football? No. this must not be a worldwide stage hit, "literally brought the
schev told a delegation of French Socialists allowed." house down"-the quote is from Tass, the
in 1956. "A universit:f in the Yiddish lan- Poet Yevgeny Yevtushonko stung offieiel Soviet news agency-when it was finally per-
guage could never be established, there would indifference to Jewish martyrdom when he formed In Moscow last year by a visiting
not be a sufficient number of students. With recited his new poem, "Sabi Yar," before a Italian repertory group. It has had no other
regard to Yiddish or Hebrew, there is no de mass meeting of 1,500 persona: '? performances in the Soviet Union. The rep-
mand for their use in the state administra "There are no monuments over Babi Yar ertory company, which gave five perform-
The steep slope Is the only, gravestone. antes each of its other scheduled plays, was
tion and in Soviet institutions. If the Jews limited to two showings of the Anne Frank
were compelled to attend Jewish schools , ? ? ? ? play, and then "only after considerable ne-
there would certainly be a revolt. It would "The trees look sternly like judges. gotiations with Soviet authorities."sc Last
be considered some kind of ghetto. The Everything here shrieks silently." year's 20th anniversary of the Warsaw
Jewish theater pined away for lack of Ghetto uprising was similarly. minimized
audiences." Offic'slclom struck back. One Sovi1rt in Sovietish Heimland which gave it
The assimilatory pr cess has undoubtedly writer, Mexet Markov, questioned Yevtu- (except special section). An Izveatia article on
affected large numbers of Jews. But the shenkc's patriotism, insisting the poet had a s
he anniversary was little more than an a on
stubborn fact is that 16 percent of Soviet defiled Russian crewcut lads who had dird tthe on West Germ little of a gret-
Jewry (in Western areas the ratio is much in battle against the Nazis. Another critic, ration any.
saw, (where fame 900
higher) considers Yiddish its native tongue, Dmitrl Starikov, denounced Yevtushenkc's tocom!memoorationea in aaar Warsaw, (where were de 900
and many more understand and appreciate poem as a provocation and a monstrous mbled) -
It. A leading Soviet linguist. M. Friedberg. suit t) the Soviet people. The poet w ea pointed by the absence of any official Soviet
challenged as "wholly incorrect" an article warned against taking further steps into a delegation. A single Soviet citizen, a mem-
in the Soviet Encyclopedia which claimed foul, swampy quagmire. ber land, of the attended. editori.s:1 board of Sovietish Heim-
Yiddish is disappearing and the Soviet Jevr- Xhrashchev had the final word. On Mar?h adopted to 1960 re-
linguistic minority is on the road to complete 8. 1965, at a Kremlin meeting of artists and A A U UNEcSCO SCOactin convention on a a p res 19 "the
linguistic assimilation. Friedberg pointed writers, he justified the criticism, saying quires g states to
specifically to compact Jewish communities Yevtunhcnko "did not display political ma- right of national minorities to carry on their
in the Ukraine and Byelorussia as centeris turity and showed ignorance of the historical own educational activites, Including the
of Yiddish speech. The hundreds of thoti- facts.' Khrushchev also complained that t3e maintenance of schools, and ? ? * the use
sands of Jews who flcek to the Yiddish con- poem was oriented to a national martyrdom or the teaching of their own language." The
certs and the brisk sale of the few Yiddish where is Communists must approach situa- Soviet Union, though a contracting state,
books and publications available similarly tions from a class viewpoint.'T has yet to live up to its promise so far as
testify to the vitality of the language. It would be wrong to say that Soviet au- the Jewish nationality is concerned. In the
same way it has failed to live up to its pertinent, of perhaps, the apparent of Jewish martyrdom. Foreign Minis ter utes and party programs, to assure the Jew-
eech ~n
s
i
ate the the high degree of Jewish consciousness
that still exists. Sin':e 1948 the Soviet Go9-
ernment has followed a policy-with only
slight modification In the last few yearsof
suppressing any insti+utionaf framework that
might invigorate and sustain a Yiddish cul-
ture. The new program of the Soviet CoM-
munist Party speaks of the ultimate Com-
munist objective as the effacement of na-
p
ng
Andrei Gromyko made a mov
the theme 16 years ago at the U.N. Gene 'RI
Assea,bly. A leading Soviet publicist and
playwright, A. Korneichuk, spoke of it in
an address before the Supreme Soviet in
1962." A few Soviet novel ists-Vladir1tr
Belyayev, Vadim Kozhevnikov, Vladirair
Bondarets-have also dealt with the theme,
and 2 years ago the Soviet Latvian Reputlio
tional distinctions ? ? ? Including language
distinctions, but it also emphasizes that, for "Surprisingly, the new Ukrainian En.y-
the time being, the party must guarantee clopeita, with 8 of its projected 16
the complete freedom of each citizen of the volumes already published, devotes consider-
U.S.S.R. to speak ard to rear and educate able space to Jewish writers and literature,
his children in any anguage, ruling out all the Yiddish language and the Jewish people
privileges, restrictions, or compulsion in the generally, Including a lengthy account of he
use of this or that language. This freeddm history of Jews in the Ukraine going back to
obviously does not extend to Jews. the 10th Century. Also, a new Short Literary
Soviets shrug off Ike 6 million martyr9 Encyclopedia. the first volume of which ip-
There are other tactics with which Soviet pearcd in 1982, carries lengthy and s}m
leadership seeks to erase a consciousness of patb`:tic articles on a great number of J?:w-
the Jewish past. Soviet textbooks pointedly ish writers, including those who, like Chaim
failed to mention the cultural contributions Biallk, wrote principally In Hebrew.
of Jews. although the culture of other mtrn- "Oct. 10. 1959.
orities is treated liberally. The first edition "Sept. 16, 1961, In Moscow. `Sabi Tar"
of the "Large Soviet Encyclopedia," carria'd was later printed in Literatu rnaia Gazed.
it To Illustrate this Khrushchev relate :l a
116 pages about Jews. The second and pies- series of episodes in which` various Jews,
some "good" and some "bad" from a Comrau-
"a Anastas Mikoyare repeated this theme be- nut viewpoint, stood on opposite sides of the
fore the U.N. Corespondent's Association clam struggle. Heconcluded with a store in
(January 5, 1959), arguing: "The Jewish questionable taste In which a Jew narned
ed with Russians in Rue- Kogtin was supposed to have served as a
population has merg
sian culture so fully that Jews participate translator In the headquarters of Nazi Field
an=
trast
b
,
y con
in general culture and literature, on the Rua- Marshall Von Paulus and,
siren stage and in Russian literature. There other Jew, Vinokur, was political come'-fear
are many Jewish writers who consider therm- of a brigade that took part In Von Pau lus'
selves Russian and prefer to write in Rue- capture.
scan " '?'rwo years earlier (Jan. 14, 1960) Khru-
And Madam Furtseva told Blumel (Jan- shci,ev. in a speech to the Supreme Soriet,
nary 1901) that the move toward assimila- quo':ed a letter from Lord Russell to the l,on-
tion is so great, Jews "may feel hurt if we don secution Times of that made reference to Nazi per-
push them toward' iddish:'
ish community, as it does other ethnic
groups, the means of national and cultural
expression.
II. THE sm'pszSSION OF JUDAISM
The Soviet Communist Party, firmly com-
mitted to scientific materialism, conducts a
vigorous ideological and propaganda cam-
paign against all religions. But this must be
distinguished from the obligations of the
Soviet Government toward religious groups,
since the Soviet constitution guarantees
freedom of worship. A leading authority on
religion in the Soviet Union, Prof. John Cur-
tiss, In a careful analysis published in 1960,
found that the Soviet Government turns a
benevolent face Award most of the religious
organizations of the U.S.S.R. There is one
notable exception-Judaism.
Judaism is denie3 same status of other faiths
The Russian Orthodox Church has been
particularly favored" Since World War II it
has been able to open seminaries, monas-
teries and parish churches, and its clerical
activities have expanded In many directions.
Leading Orthodox prelates are granted of-
ficial privileges, including invitations to im-
portant state functions. Testifying to what
Professor Curtiss calls Russian Orthodoxy's
robust existence were 35,000 priests and 20,-
000 parish churches organized into 73
"Although the trial was extensively re-
ported in Poland, Hungary, - and Czechoslo-
vakia.
.n The New York Times, Apr. 12, 1963.
e "The Russian Orthodox Church-Orga-
nization, Situation, Activity," a large hand-
some work published by the Moscow Patri-
archate in 1959; graphically illustrates this.
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1964 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE
archbishop, or bishop. There were also 69
monasteries and convents, 2 theological acad-
emies and 8 seminaries with (as of 1956)
1,500 students.--
The same privileged status favors the Geor-
gian Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox
churches.
The Baptist denomination has also been
"flourishing" in the Soviet Union, Professor
Curtiss reported. U.S.S.R., an official Soviet
journal, tended to confirm this in an article
that told of 5,500 Baptist parishes, each with
its own minister, deacon or preacher, and
a total membership of 540,00023
The Lutherans, centered in Estonia and
Latvia, have 350,000 congregants and (as of
1956) about 100 churches and 150 pastors.
Roman Catholicism has an extensive
structure in Lithuania with 740 priests 14
and in Latvia with 126 priests 28 There is a
Catholic seminary in Riga, another in Kau-
nas. Two bishops were consecrated in 1955,
a third in 1957.
Islam also enjoys considerable status in
the U.S.S.R. On several occasions the So-
viet Government has made air transport
available to fly large Moslem delegations
from central Asia, the Caucasus and other
Soviet areas to Mecca and back.
The Soviets permit, even facilitate, ex-
change visits between native and foreign
delegations of the Orthodox Churcn, and of
Protestant and Islamic groups. They have
even been favorably disposed toward the es-
tablishment of permanent or semipermanent
institutional relationships. Thus, the Rus-
sian Orthodox Church, through a special
department, has regular relations with Or-
thodox churches in other countries and in
1962, by its admittance to membership into
the World Council of Churches, strength-
ened its ties with many Protestant denomi-
nations. In recent years, Orthodox clergy-
men have traveled on official tours to West-
ern countries.
Similarly, there are close official contacts
between Russian Baptists and their co-
religionists abroad. A Soviet Baptist leader
has publicly reported that his church main-
tains contacts with almost all the Protestant
denominations in the world and that its rep-
resentatives have attended many interna-
tional congresses of the Baptists and other
Protestant groups28 Soviet authorities per-
mit Baptist seminarians, to engage in ad-
vanced study in England, Canada, and Swe-
den.
For years, Soviet Moslems have been asso-
ciated with a World Congress of Moslems.
In October 1962 a conference of Soviet Mos-
lem leaders, meeting in Tashkent, was au-
ment for international relations, with head- ported only a "few lucky owners of- prayer
quarters in Moscow. The Soviet radio re- books" among the "overflow crowd of several
ported that delegations from Lebanon, the thousand worshippers," 32
United Arab Republic, Guinea and Senegal Even so innocuous an item as a luach
had attended a Moslem conference in the So- (Jewish calendar listing festival dates) is not
viet Union and that a delegation of Soviet readily available to Soviet Jews. They have
Moslems had participated in an interna- had to depend on photographed copies of
tional Islamic congress in Baghdad 27 It also calendars laboriously made by hand 98 Most
reported that a number of Soviet Moslem
youths were studying at Al Azhar, a major
Islamic center of learning in the United
Arab Republic, and in Morocco.
Religious contacts and cooperative enter-
prises of this nature are denied to Jews.
No delegation of observant Soviet Jews has
ever been permitted to visit its counterparts
abroad. Jewish religious bodies outside the
Soviet Union are not allowed official con-
22 A significant decline in the number of
Orthodox churches and institutions during
the past 2 years has been reported by Prot-
estant leaders.
21 June 1963 issue.
21 1954 statistics.
211959 statistics.
28 U.S.S.R., June 1963.
21 April 1963.
tact with Soviet synagogues. A gift by the religious groups are allowed to produce cruci-
Synagogue Council of America of miniature fixes, candles and other devotional articles.
Scrolls of Law to Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin, But the manufacture of Jewish religious
chief rabbi of Moscow, had to be delivered articles such as the tallit (prayer shawl) and
through the intermediary of a Russian Or- tfllin (phylacteries) is forbidden.
thodox delegation that was touring in the So, too, in recent years, is the baking of
United States 28 Moscow's Jews have been matzo for Passover. In a report filed July
warned against having contacts with Israel 11, 1956, with the United Nations, the Soviet
diplomats or other visiting Jews who might Union offered solemn assurances that it
come for prayer in the synagogue 2D The makes matzo available for observant Jews.
warning followed the arrest and conviction But a year later, restrictions on the public
of Jewish religious leaders in Leningrad and baking of matzo began to appear, the first of
Moscow on charges that included contacts these in Kharkov, a city with 70,000 Jews, In
with Israel diplomats. succeeding years, the ban spread to other
USSR has never allowed a printing of Hebrew cities; by 1962 it blanketed almost all of the
Bible U.S.S.R.," extending even to synagogues in
It is Soviet policy to restrict even internal Leningrad, Riga and Kiev, which have their
contact among its Jewish congregations. own equipment for baking matzo. On March
formal-
Other major religions in the Soviet Union ann1963, ounced l6, the Chief Chief that authorities ri Moscow formal-
are allowed to organize congresses and con- matzo had banned
matzo baking on a community basis. He
ferences of religious or lay leaders, and to advised Jews to attempt to bake matzo in
maintain central organizations-the Holy their own homes 9e
Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Prior to the Passover this year, the Moscow
All-Union Council of Evangelical Christian- Jewish community was permitted to rent a
Baptists, the National Ecclesiastical Assem- small bakery for the production of matzo,
bly of the Armenian Church, the Lutheran The amount produced over the course of the
Churches of Latvia and Estonia, the Moslem few days that the bakery was allowed to op-
Board for Central Asia and Kazakhstan- erate was 8,000 pounds-a completely inade-
that service a variety of religious needs. quate quantity for observant Moscow Jews.
Judaism, on the other hand, is deprived of Meanwhile, with the encouragement of the
any instrument that could help coordinate authorities, Jewish communities abroad sent
or unite the Jewish group. There is no cen- in 90,000 pounds of matzo. But most parcels
tral federation of synagogues or council of remained unclaimed in the customs ware-
rabbis. Jewish religious life is atomized, houses: Soviet Jews had been frightened off
each congregation operating on its own and by newspaper accounts in national and pro-
having no official contact with any other vincial newspapers which charged that the
Jewish congregation. The Russian Orthodox foreign parcels constituted "idealogical sub-
Church publishes a central organ, the Jour- version." Only a small percentage of Jews
nal of the Moscow Patriarchate; the Bap- had matzo; the others were given a special
tists have their Brotherly Herald; for Soviet dispensation by the Chief Rabbi to use beans
Jews, no religious periodical exists, and peas instead.
There are other official Soviet actions, clear- Observers report that the synagogue is
ly discriminatory, designed to stifle Judaism. "the sorriest house of worship in the Soviet
Since 1917 the government has not permit-
ted publication of a Hebrew Bible. Yet in Union" 38 and, in the last few years, there
1957 the Russian Orthodox were able to print has been a drastic decline in the number of
50,000 copies of a 1926 edition of their Bible; Soviet synagogues. According to official fig-
1956, year later there were press runs of 10,000 ,uses submitted to the United is in Russian-language copies of a Baptist Bible there were then 450 synagogues s in in the R
and 9,000 copies of the Koran in Arabic (a In 1959 the Soviet Government reported ed only
language of religious study not spoken by 150 synagogues. In April 1963 the Chief
oslems)28 Rabbi was quoted in an official Soviet pub-
Soviet b eks are available in relatively suf- lication that 96 synagogues remain 27 Thus,
Prayer iet
since Khrushchev's nC
ficient quantities for the major religions- ism at the he 20th h Party y Congress, of four-fift -fifths
except Judaism's For the religious Jew, a artty ss, -fifths
siddur (prayer book) is a rare and precious of all Soviet synagogues has been shut down,
copies were run off, none had been printed in Soviet policy toward the synagogue-
the Soviet Union. A New York Times corre- padlock it
spondent who attended Yom Kippur services Synagogues in Sverdlovsk, Zhitomir, Kazan,
28 The delegation visited the United States
in April 1963. Efforts by the Synagogue
Council to invite the Chief Rabbi to visit
the United States have been futile.
21 February 1962. The warning was re-
peated in October and Jewish congregants
in Moscow were told to avoid "shaking hands
with visitors generally,"
20 In 1962 another edition of the Koran was
published by the Moslem Board of Central
Asia.
81 In 1956, 25,000 copies of the Baptist
hymnal were printed. The Lutherans are
now preparing a new edition of their hymnal,
32 The New York Times, Sept, 29, 1963.
38 In one of their rare, sometimes unex-
plained shifts, the Soviets last September au-
thorized the Moscow synagogue to print 5,000
Jewish calendars.
Grozny, Zhmerinka, Belaya Tserkov, Kaunas,
and Lvov-cities with sizeable Jewish popu-
lations-have been padlocked in the last 2
years. The sanctuary- of the synagogue in
Minsk, an historic edifice, was demolished
"The only known exceptions appear to
have been in Georgia and in some parts of
central Asia.
"Four elderly Jews who tried ran afoul of
the authorities. On July 16, 1963, they were
convicted of illegal profiteering in the sale of
matzoh-the first trial of its kind in 45 years,
according to the Chief Rabbi. Three of the
accused had been held in prison for several
months awaiting trial. An 82-year-old man,
ludicrously described as the ringleader, was
allowed to remain at home. The defense
attorney, in his summation, reminded the
court that "all churches sell candles and
wafers at high prices, and nobody holds them
for criminal responsibility:'
"Those accused did it not for profit but for
their religious beliefs; they used no hired
labor, they distributed the production which
they didn't use themselves." But all four
were found guilty.
ae Hindus, "House Without a Roof."
87 U.S.S.R., April 1963.
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE August 10
in July 1963. A New York Herald Tribune Judaism is attacked and satirized in U.S.S.R. III. DISCSTh TNATION AND THE SOVIET JEW
correspondent, visiting it, found that the press The Soviet Constitution specifically pro-
sanctuary had been cDnverted to a ware Feuilietons (satirical articles) often ap- hibits "any direct or indirect restriction of
house. A one-story extension, reached, pear, particularly in the Soviet provincie; the rights ? ' * of citizens on account of
through a rickety woo-fen shed In an alley: press, savagely attacking Judaism!' The rite their race or nationality." But for the Jew-
where chickens were kept, functioned as the of circtanciston is denounced as barbarous, ish citizen the promise of Soviet law is not
sanctuary. The Jews at prayer there, the, the "Kol Nidre" prayer of Yom Kippur bi always the practice in Soviet reality.
correspondent wrote, wore "shabby, home- condemned as encouraging disobedience to Quota system is common practice at
made prayer shawls" and read from "ancient, state authority. Synagogue leaders are de? universities
tattered prayer books." 0 picted as money worshippers who use the There is no indication that the Jew is dis-
preceded closing of a synagogue generally Is religious service, kosher staughtering, rest- crThere is no indication ti housing that the
public s-
preceded by an intense press campaign of gious b~irial, matzoth baking and other ritual cmmoded against has open
and hostility. The synagogue in practices to exploit a duped congregation:' resorts, omma clubs, and other public access public
tocloels,
the old Jewish center A Chernovtsy (Buko-` Much of the propaganda depicts Judaism But in higher nd othe pus coy it tad-
vina) was locked after the local newspaper, as being in the service of a foreign power, But In eat in r Soviet du society-the si-
charged that it was used for shady profiteer thereby attaching to the observant Jew th3 te favorable, Soviet officials situation
at pub-
Lvov. n Iing agreements?' The great synagogue of stigma of disloyalty. This excerpt from i n noot o f a orable discuss quotao u not with a glorious tradition, was closed on Ukrainian language radio broadcast froru lige or In.
practices. But they
November 6, 1962, af'2r a year-long press; Kirovograd, is not unusual: university exist. A study admission
Soviet actices.on by the charging it with being a center; "Judaic sermons are the sermons of bour- alas DeWitt, a sofcSovie educati n by ich-
for currency speculators and their criminal gents 2,ioniate. Such sermons are tools 11 vend Russian Research Center, finds that
- -- - -
Iala(:S\111IL 41lJlip. --
Some Jews have taken to private miniyan= mopoli.an and American bourgeoisie. Witt
anim (quorums of at least 10 required to their tentacles, the Jewish bourgeois no-
conduct a service) in their homes. But III tionalists, making use of Judaism, try to
the past 2 years there have been police driven penetrate Into our Soviet garden" -
to discourage these." Three other examples of the disloyally
The discouragement of Judaism is further theme
intensified by the lac'c of training facilitie "The chauvinistic Passover slogans stand
to replace a fast-aging rabbinate. There in cartradiction to the feeling of Soviet
are now only about 6C rabbis in the U.S.S.R; patriotism and boundless love to the socialist
Until 1957, when a Y,3shIva was established motherland.""
in Moscow for 20 students, there was no Jew= "Jucalsm kills love for the Soviet mothe;'-
ish theological seminary In all of the Soviet land."?
Union. Since then only two students have "The character of the Jewish religion thus
been ordained and neither functions as a serves the political alms of the Zionist-the
synagogue leader. O' the 13 students ens awaketing of a nationalistic frame n
rolled in the shabby, rundown Yeshiva Iii. mind.""
April 1962, 11 were over 40 years of age. At A lengthy article in Trud castigated the
that time, nine of tie students, who came synagogue as a place where Israel diplomats
from communities In Georgia and Dag- are alleged to have extracted espionage I t-
heaten, were prevented from resuming their formation from disloyal Soviet Jews "a Al-
studies because of, said the authorities, It other article carried a massive attack on three
housing shortage in Moscow. That left ate religious Jews who were accused of bavl:sg
enrollment of four seminarians in all of the had contacts wth the Israel Embassy in
U.S.S.R a Judaism in the Soviet Union will Moscow. "Avarice, groveling servility beicre
soon be without trained leadership. everything foreign, spiritual waste, lack of
Other Jewish facilities are being forced out pride In our great motherland-these impel
of existence. The only kosher butcher shop the mf bernuukhins, Ras of sometimes and the
not ey-
in Moscow was temporarily closed by the at1 tired blameless foreigners," said Trud!s
the
ltshel in December 1983 by the Ukrainian colleagues if he is to get equal recognition.
Academy of Sciences: "What is the Jiw's A Leningrad professor is quoted by Maurice
secular cult? Business. What Is his secular Hindus that a Jew must be especially gifted,
God'' Money. Money, that Is the jealous "something like a genius, to be admitted to
God of Israel.- aspirantura (postgraduate work).""
9
thorities in the summer of 1962 on
grounds that it did riot conform to sanitary Synagogue leaders in Leningrad and Moecrw quota systems against Jews in education M
regulations." The Jewish section of the old have been convicted and given stilt sentences Yelyutin insisted that Jews, constituting 2
Moscow cemetery is Oiled, but repeated ap- on charges of betraying state secrets to Israel. percent of the Soviet population, were 10 per-
peals by the chief rabbi and other Jewish The new program of the Communist Party, cent of the enrollment in Soviet universities.
leaders for an enclaie to be set aside and adopted at Its 22d congress, calls for a This was disputed by Dr. Solomon Schwarz,
consecrated for Jewish burials In a new mu- stepped-up program of overcoming religious a prominent scholar and author of "The Jews
nicipal cemetry have been rejected. This prejudices by systematically ' * * conduct In the Soviet Union," who cited official Soviet
pattern Is likely to be repeated in other citids. ling) broad scientific-atheist propagan tai data to prove "the number of Jews among the
Although the So"tet Communist Party On March 2, 1964, the party central commit- Students of all Soviet Institutions of higher
continues to propagandize against religion, tee spelled out the details of the intensif,ed education could reach only little more than
generally seeking to achieve the final aid campaign. It can be expected that in this 4 percent."" A 1961 Sovietstatistical hand-
complete eradication of religious prejudiced." antir\aligious campaign Judaism will continue book on higher education not only corrobo-
it is supposed to be guided by a policy resD- to be singled out for condemnation and the rates this but suggests that even Dr. Schwarz'
estimates were high. The handbook reports
vember its Central Committee, calling for Np- loyala.y of Its leaders questioned 2,395.000 students, 77,000 of them Jews. The
lution
percent-
attitude ca ctllwar for r a tactful ul st d ratio of Jews Is therefore closer to 3 percent-
comber considerate 1054,
remain under ttitude toward those of various who "These are provincial areas with farly a plummeting drop from 1935 when It was 13
remain unthe it flue specifically large Jewish populations and long traditi,ns percent.
wows beliefs. The resolution esucally of anti-Semitism. Despite this drastic decline, Jewish univer-
spi putting use f their citizens
reduncles "p typical example from Minskaia Pravda sity enrollment, on a population basis, still
arns against
political suspicion a= of their a war r (Apr 4, 1961): "Money. That is the fled ranks highest among nationality groups. But
convictions. In the party's party's propaganda of the Minsk Jewish religious community and It is clear that the quota system compels the
against Judaism, these caveats appear to be and their aids." Another is from the book, Jewish student to perform at a much higher
observed in the bread h. "Judaism Without Embellishment." pub- level of achievement than his non-Jewish
_H New York Herald Tribune, June 26, 1983.
'1 Quoted in "Jews In Eastern Europe," De-
cember 1982.
" "Lvovskaia Pravda," Feb. 16, 1962, aiid
Oct. 26, 1962.
I During Rosh Bashana 1962, a minl[an
held in a house on January 21st Street: in
Kharkov was dispersed by the police; on
Yom Kippur, another in Kolomea. On Feb.
23, 1963, a Sabbath minyan in Gomel as
brutally disrupted.
,.Since then, the number has dropped
to two or three students.
"Later it was permitted to reopen.
'I Pravda, Aug. 21. 1959.
e- Dec. 9, 1969, monitored by BBC.
""The origin and Class Essence of Jew-
ish Rituals and Holidays," published .961
by the Society for the Diffusion of Political
and Scientific Knowledge in the Ukraine.
is 'Sovietskata Moldavia (Kishinev) July
23, 1959.
"`Volzhakata Kommuna" (Kuibyahev),
Sept. 30. 1981. -
Tan. 19, 1982.
" June 9, 1983.
quvaaw vpmru?c vu "M"',-- -..-
balance.' This means "the representation of
any national or ethnic grouping in overall
higher education enrollment should be as the
relation of the size of that group to total
U.S.S.R. population. Those nationalities
whose higher educational development
'ought to be fostered' get preferential admis-
sion quotas, while those who are 'over-repre-
sented' are curtai'ed accordingly.""
On the basis of elaborate computations
drawn from Soviet data, DeWitt shows that
the quota system operates "to the particular-
ly severe disadvantage of the Jewish popula-
tion." Between 1935 and 1958, his computa-
tions reveal, "the index of representation
rose for most nationalities, but fell for
Georgians and all national minorities, with a
very drastic decline for the Jews." DeWitt
concludes:
"The setting of admission quotas un-
doubtedly penalized the Jewish population,
with its significant urban concentration and
higher level of educational attainment, more
heavily than other minor nationality groups
with more diversified occupational and rural-
urban distribution."
Soviet Minister of Higher and Secondary
Education V. P. Yelyutin denied that the
Soviet Union dscriminates or maintains
"DeWitt, "Education and Professional
Employment in the U.S.S.R.," 1961. A re-
cent Soviet publication, Vestnik Vysshei
Shkoly (December 1963). acknowledges the
existence of "preferential admission quotas."
"The New York Times, Sept. 29, 1959.
"Letter to the New York Times, Oct. 3,
1959.
"Hindus, "House Without a Roof."
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE
The pattern of discrimination is an uneven available reveals a heavy concentration of
one. Jews find it less difficult to be admitted Jewish employment in a number of impor-
to Leningrad University than to Moscow Uni- tant fields and professions. According to one
versity. Siberian schools are even less dis- source, of Moscow's 18,000 physicians, 6,700-
criminatory. Siberia, writes Hindus, is in the more than one out of three-are Jewish 63
throes of gigantic development and the de- Another source states that 40 percent of the
mand for specialists in all fields is so pressing capital's 1,700 lawyers and half of those in
that universities and technological institutes Leningrad and Kharkov are Jewish b' Andre
will overlook it if an applicant is Jewish. Blumel was told by Mme. Furtseva that one-
However, in most of the Soviet Republics third of the personnel in the film industry
(except for the RSFSR, the Ukraine, and Bye- Is Jewish. Jews are also prominent in music
lorussia), the representation of Jews among and literature, in the library field, in history,
university students is well below the rate of philology and pedagogy (according to Furt-
the "general population's access to higher ed- seva, 10 percent of the student body of the
ucation." 87 Particularly distressing is the Pedagogical Institute in Moscow Is Jewish)
trend of development as seen from the ratio and in the consumer goods and retail trade
of academically educated people, especially
students, to practicing scientists. According
to the report of an international Socialist
study group, the Jews have the lowest rati?
in the U.S.S.R., "indicating the rapidly dwin-
dling Jewish participation in this field." 68
Soviet leaders have candidly acknowledged
that they set employment quotas for Jews.
They also try to justify the practice. An
interview published by the National Guard-
ian quoted Minister of Culture Furtseva that
the Soviet Government "found in some of its
departments a heavy concentration of Jewish
people, upward of 50 percent of the staff.
Steps were taken to transfer them to other
enterprises, giving them equally good posi-
tions, and without jeopardizing their
rights." 59
Job discrimination found to be increasing
When the Furtseva statement created un-
favorable reaction abroad, the press chief
of the Soviet Foreign Ministry was obliged
to "clarify" the matter. "She meant," his
statement said, "that if at some time there
had taken place changes in office personnel,
these changes were dictated by the economic
needs of the country and under no circum-
stances were aimed at any discrimination
of persons of any nationality. Never at
any time during the Soviet regime were there
any quotas for Jews or persons of some oth-
er nationality, and there are none now." HO
However, J. B. Salsberg, a former Canadian
Communist leader, reported that in an inter-
view he had had in August 1956 with So-
viet leaders (including Khrushchev and Sus-
lov) 61 a top Soviet official "corroborated the
essence of Furtseva's statement."
"He tried terribly hard to prove to me
with examples that the transfer or dis-
missal of Jewish employees in once-back-
ward republics that now have 'their own'
intelligentsia and professional people capa-
ble of occupying posts previously held by
Jews or Russians has nothing to do with
anti-Semitism."
Academician Konstantin Skriabin, in a
speech before the party's central committee
on agriculture, declared: "From my point of
view, a scientist. should not be evaluated by
his passport but by his head, from the point
of view of his ability and social usefulness." ",
His reference to the "passport" and its na-
tionality identification was self-evident.
Yet whatever the extent of job quotas, an
examination of the scattered data that Is
51 Nicholas DeWitt, "The Status of Jews in
Soviet Education," published 1964 by the
American Jewish Congress. DeWitt places
particular emphasis on the high degree of
urbanization among Jews (over 95 percent).
Since most university students come from
urban areas the discrimination against Jews
is apparent.
63 April 1964.
59 June 1956.
60 September 1956.
61 In a series that ran in a Canadian Yiddish
weekly Vochenblatt and in Morgen Freiheit,
October-December 1956. -
"March 1962.
No. 155-6
Industry). A letter signed by five prominent
Soviet Jews qnd publicized by the Soviet
news agency Novosti listed Jews as compris-
ing 14.7 percent of the U.S.S.R.'s physicians;
10.4 percent of its lawyers and judges; 8.5
percent of its writers and journalists; 7 per-
cent of its actors, sculptors, musicians and
other artists .65
There is a high proportion of Jews in the
physical sciences. A Soviet statistical hand-
book (1960) reported 30,683 Jews among
310,000 Soviet scientists, or 9.8 percent. Five
years earlier the ratio was even higher, 24,600
out of 223,000, or 11 percent. The proportion
of Jews in the physical sciences is decreas-
ing, although the absolute number is rising.
The most recent figure is 36,173 Jewish scien-
tists (about 9 percent) '6 An estimated 10
percent of the Academy of Sciences, the
U.S.S.R.'s leading scientific body, is Jewish.
About one-eighth of the 1964 Lenin Prize
winners in science and technology have Jew-
ish names.
Among Soviet nationalities, Jews rank third
in the total number of professionals with a
university education who are active in the
national economy. There are about 300,000
Soviet Jews in the professions, and 427,000
who have either a university or a specialized
secondary education. This means one out
of five Soviet Jews is a professional or semi-
professional worker, as against 5 percent for
Russians and 4 percent for Ukrainians.
On the other hand, DeWitt finds that the
proportion of non-Jewish nationalities in the
professions is rising rapidly. It rose 15 per-
cent during 1957-59. For the same period
the Jewish proportion rose 4 percent. De-
Witt attributes the difference to the quota
system in university admissions. Its con-
tinuation, he says, will further reduce the
percentage of Jews in professional employ-
ment.
There is some evidence that Soviet Jews
are confronted with increasing difficulty in
winning merit promotions to top industrial
and administrative positions. This is par-
ticularly so in the non-Russian Republics
where an educated and trained native ele-
ment is rapidly emerging and Jews are be-
ing edged out of the promotion process. This
was implied by Khrushchev in an interview
with a French Socialist delegation In May
1956:
"At the outset of the revolution we had
many Jews in the leadership of the party
and the state. In due course, we created new
cadres. Should the Jews want to occupy the
foremost position in our Republics now, it
would naturally be taken amiss by the in-
digenous inhabitants. The latter would not
accept these pretensions at all well, especially
since they do not regard themselves less in-
telligent or less capable than the Jews." 67
In December 1962, Khrushchev repeated
this theme at a meeting of Soviet artists,
63 Sophia Frey in Morgen Freiheit, Apr. 7,
1960.
64 Andre Blumel in a Paris interview, 1960.
66 April 1962.
6a Novosti Press Agency, 1963.
67 R@alites (Paris), May 1957. -
18203
saying that if Jews occupied too many top
positions it would tend to create anti-Semi-
tism.
Since the forties there has been a drastic
decline in the role of Jews in Soviet political
life. One index of it is the changing compo-
sition in the two houses of the Supreme So
viet. In December 1937, there were 32
Jews among the 569 members of the Soviet
of the Union; in January 1946, 5 out of 801;
in March 1950, 2 of 678 members. .
Jews have been eased out of Soviet political
life -
In 1937 there were 15 Jews among the 574
members of the Soviet of Nationalities; in
March 1950, 3 of 638. In April 1958 only 3 of
1,364 members of both houses could be iden-
tified as Jews. Among the 1,443 members of
the present Supreme Soviet 8 are Jews.
Jewish representation at the republic and
local levels is even less than at the national
level: 08
Total
deputies
Jewish
deputies
Percent
of Jews
Russian Federal Re-
public .----?__-____?
835
1
0.12
Ukraine________________
457
1
.22
Iiyelorussia_____________
407
2
.45
Uzbekistan_____________
444
2.
44
Kazakbstan____________
450
2
.
.44
Azerbaid)an___________.
325
1
.31
Lithuania--------------
209
1.44
Moldavia--------------
281
0
0
Latvia- - _--------------
200
0
0
Kirghizia___________
329
0
0
Tadzhikistan......_.___
300
1
.33
Armenia---------------
300
0
0
Turkmenistan ----------Estonia_____________
282
125
1
0
.36
0
Georgia_______________
368
0
0
With the single exception of Lithuania, the
percentage of Jews in the Supreme Soviet of
each republic is substantially below its popu-
lation ratio. This is especially true for the
three Slavic republics where most Soviet Jews
live. It is also significant that Moldavia and
Latvia, each with a sizable Jewish minority,
have no Jewish deputies.
The same trend is evident in local Soviets.
In every republic except Byelorussia the pro-
portion of Jews is less than 1 percent, and
often only an infinitesimal fraction. In
January 1961, Trud boasted that 7,500 Jews
were deputies in various Soviets of the
U.S.S.R 09 It neglected to compare this with
the total of 1,882,000 elected deputies, mak-
ing the ratio of Jews in the Soviet political
structure microscopic. Since the selection
of candidates is a controlled affair dominated
by the party's leadership, it would appear
that Jews are regarded as being less reliable
politically. -
There has also been a great decline in the
numbers of Jews holding leadership positions
in the Soviet Communist Party. Among the -
175 members of its newly elected Central
Committee, only 1 has been specifically iden-
tified by Soviet authorities as a Jew. He is
V. E. Dymshits, a Deputy Premier and Chair-
man of the U.S.S.R. Council of the National
Economy. Dymshits is often held out as an
example by Soviet propagandists that there
is no anti-Jewish discrimination in Soviet
politics.
Prof. John Armstrong of the University of
Wisconsin, in a study of the nationality
composition of the Ukraine Communist Party,
found that the proportion of Jews among
the delegates to the Party Congress had de-
clined from 4.1 percent in 1940 to 2.6 per-
68 Jews in Eastern Europe (London), De-
cember 1962.
19 Novosti Press Agency in 1963 gave the
figure as 7,623.
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE August 10
cent in 1956.71 "It would seem that Jew;
were deliberately rest-lcted to a lower pro=
portion of the higher and more conspicuoul
levels of party leadership," Professor Arm-
strong declared. He c2.1culated that 8 percent
of the Ukrainian Party membership Is Jewish.
This is a fairly high proportion since Jews
are only 2 percent of the Ukrainian popula-
tion. It is in the leadership cadre of the
party, however, that the number and pro-
portion of Jews haves shrunk considerably.
There are no available statistics on the
number of Jews in the All-Union Communist
Party but there Is no ban against Jews Join-
ing the party.
Maurice Hindus has reported that Jews
"are definitely barred from careers in di-
plomacy, the party, Vie armed forces, in the
trade union, the state administration and
other politically and militarily sensitive
areas: "1 Data on this--or on the view that
Jews might be regarded as security risks-
are sketchy and fragmentary.
There are few Jews today In the Soviet
diplomatic corps. This is in sharp contrast
to the twenties and thirties. An examin4-
tion of a list of 475 top Soviet official's serving
in the Foreign Ministry and in each of Its
embassies abroad shows but 5 or 6 who ap-
pear to have Jewish names. One Is a deputy
chief of a functional division in Moscow,
another an ambassac:or. a third a minister-
counselor. The others hold positions of
lesser status. Some observers have also noted
that there is a relatively small number of
Jews in foreign trade, Of 94 names of top
officials in the Ministry of Foreign Trade,
only 1 or 2 appear to be Jewish.
Information on the Jewish composition of
the armed forces Is cone-adictory. Gen.
David Dragunsky. himself a Jew, spoke of
"hundreds of Jewish generals and admirals
in the Soviet Union.' He mentioned three;
the supreme commander In the Far East,
the commander of the military academy,
and the commander of the defense force on
the southern border?" The-e are reports of
a number of Jewish regular army officers on
active service (mostly In ranks below that
of general). But in almost every case It is
believed their commissions either predated
the war or were grr.nted In the early years
of the war. Few, If e.ny. have been appointed
in recent years. The same is true for the
Soviet air force.
IV. P0PULA5 ANTI-SEMITISM IN Ttrx U.5.5.5.
The discriminatory patterns in Soviet life
do not operate In a vacuum. They reflect
popular attitudes toward Jews. The pat-
terns are responsive to and reinforced by the
attitudes; the attitudes In turn are neces-
sarily affected by ti.e patterns.
Studies show deep roots of ant!-Semitic
f seling
Soviet leadership is reluctant to admit
publicly that popular anti-Semitism Is com-
mon anywhere in the U.S.S.R. At times. It
will say so in private conversations with
foreigners?s But when it speaks to the So-
viet public, either directly or indirectly, it
Objective observers of Soviet life, inclu?1-
ing m my who are sympathetically disposasd
to munh of the regime's alms, disagree. Th sy
find anti-Semitic stereotyping to be commo 1-
place. although no one really knows how et-
tensive and deep the hostile feelings are.
Soviet sociologists have refused to conduct
sclent Sc investigations of tit.-,' But inter-
views of Soviet refugees conducted in 1950-51
by Harvard University shed some light's
While the sample was far from adequate, it
nonet'ieless suggested that Jews in the Soviet
Union are often depicted on the one hand as
intelligent or intellectual, on the other as
monel'minded, clannish, aggressive, calcuiFt-
tng, and disinclined to engage in physical
labor.
A study among Ukrainian refugees revealed
extensive prejudice against Jews. The inter-
viewer found that 47 percent of the lee.st
educated, 51 percent of the moderately edu-
cated, and 36 percent of the well-educated
Ukrainian respondents favored excluding
Jews from social contacts. The midd e-
educated Ukrainian, the interviewer ccn-
eluded, was "particularly anti-Semitic both
in his perception of relations between '1Is
own national group and Jews, and in expro:s-
siona of social exclusion he desired." y
The persistence of widespread anti-Jew-sh
sterotyping was noted by a friendly observer,
Sally Belfrage:
"I could almost never hear a Jew descrll-ed
except with the apologetic preface, He's a
Jew, but * - ' (He's very nice, be's v.sry
Intelligent.)' And frequently anti-Semitic
jokes Rabinovich this, Rabinovich that (al-
ways Rabinovich). Some Russians spend a
great deal of their verbal energy on atta..k-
Ing anything and everything Jewish." T1
Maurice Hindus and Harrison Salisbury of
the New York Times, have detailed aim lar
instances of anti-Semitism. And as an indi-
cation that stereotyping can be found on .he
highest levels of government, J. B. Salsberg
quoted Khrushchev:
"A,'ter the liberation of Czernowltz the
streets were dirty. When the Jews were
asked why the streets were not being clear ed,
they replied that the non-Jewish segmen'. of
the population which used to do this work,
had tied the city. Of the thousands of So,riet
citizens who have toured abroad only tl ree
failed to return. All of them were Jews.
Whe'ever a Jew settles, the first thing he
does is build a synagogue."
Salsberg also quoted Khrushchev as agree-
Ing with Stalin that the Crimea, which sad paper references to the nationality of Jews
into a of Jewish World writ - A who make distinguished contributions to the
been depopnot be be turned the d end
II, ';hould not i arts. sciences and technology are rare.
would n be turned nInto because a base In for cue of a attic} cling it In 1954 the Soviet Government published
would f "The National Traditions of the People of
"
the U.S.S.R.
the Soviet Union," a statiatcal breakdown by
gushcb v on another occasion had these nationality of World War II "Heroes o
eOmm0nt8 about the failure of Jewish c~}o- Soviet Unlon"--the nation's highest award
nizatlon in Biro Blrobldjan: f the
"Io all ages, the Jews have preferred the for bravery. The booklet makes no reference
artlean trades; they are tailors; they wor r in to Jewish winners, even though more than
glass or precious stones; they are merchants, 100 were-so honored"'
i0 J. Armstrong, "The Soviet Bureaucretie
Elite: A Case Study of the Ukrainian Ap-
paratus," 1959.
a Hindus, "House Without a Roof." - In
the areas mentioned by Hindus there is also
evidence that exce ?tions occur. Pragmatic
considerations In ti Ze selection of personnel
often appear to be the dominant factor.
', Jewish Chronicle (London), Dec. 1, 1961.
73Deputy Premier Anartas Mikoyan told a
1956 delegation of french Socialists that the
"remainders" of a 1ti-Semitism persist be-
cause "in so short a time It has been difficult
for us to eliminate prejudice." Khrushclev
told the same group that the anti-Semitic
sentiments are "remnants of a reactionary
past."
71 A visiting Western scholar, Professor
Laws Feuer of the University of California.
learned this from Soviet sociologists and
philosophers while on an exchange tour to
the U.S.S.R.
Harvard Project on the Soviet Social -3ye-
tem. Its essential findings were published in
"Hox the Soviet System Works" by Rayrrond
Bauer, Alex Inkeles and Clyde Kluckh-)hn,.
Harvard University Press, 1956. The saioplo
was structured to represent as broad a cioss-
section of the Soviet European population as
was possible under the given circumstances
of availability of refugees, three-fourths of
whom had migrated during the war, the
others during 1948-50.
Unpublished study by Sylvia OItllain of
the Harvard Project.
- "A Room In Moscow" (London), 1953.
the building trades or metallurgy, you can't
find a single Jew to my knowledge.
"They don't like collective work, group
discipline, they have always preferred to be
dispersed. They are individualist * * ' a
second characteristic: the Jews are essentially
intellectuals. They never consider them-
selves sufficiently educated. As soon as they
can manage it, they want to attend the uni-
versity.- 1'
The New York Yiddish Communist daily
Frelheit accused Khrushchev of giving a false
picture of Jewish attitudes toward collec-
tive labor, saying that prior to the war
"hundreds of thousands of Jews were settled
on the land. Three national Jewish agricul-
tural regions were created in the Ukraine.
Jews were drawn into heavy Industry. The
Jewish masses revealed this ability for or-
ganization and collective effort In construct-
ing, at great sacrifice, the trade union move-
ment in America ' * * The Jewish laborer
and common man showed his ability for col-
lective work in the construction effort in
Israel, as Khrushchev concedes in the same
interview." W
Khrushchev's reference to the absence of
Jews in metallurgy did not jibe with the
observation of a group of Communists who
were visiting Moscow at that time. They
found that among 12,000 workers in a Mos-
cow ball-bearing plant, 18 percent were
Jews ' Harrison Salisbury, discussing the
Soviet leader's frequent statements on Jew-
ish questions, found that Khrushchev "al-
most invariably has displayed traces, at least
of the anti-Semitic prejudices common to
the borderlands of the Ukraine where he
grew up." "'
Little is done In Soviet education to coun-
teract ant-Seml.Ic stereotypes. Soviet his-
tory textbooks published in 1958 and 1960
for preuniversity grade levels tell nothing of
Soviet Jewry, its contributions to Soviet cul-
ture or Its role in Soviet life. This is so even
In sections of the volumes which deal with
the culture of minority nationalities In the
U.S.S.R.
Jews cast as vfllfans in recent economic
trials -
A widely distributed book, "The Achieve-
ments of Soviet Regime In 40 Years in Fig-
ures," published In 1957 on the 40th anniver-
sary of the Bolshevik revolution, makes no
reference to Jews or Jewish contributions
In its 358 pages of statistics and tables on
Le Figaro (Parts), Apr. 9, 1958.
Morgan Frelheit, Apr. 13, 1958.
rq Nat Presse (Paris).
s The New York Times, Feb. 8, 1962. At
times, however. Khrushchev has strongly
condemned anti-Semitism as a product of
Tsarlsm or capitalism. Twice during the past
year, he associated himself with others in
publicly lauding two prominent Soviet Je^:r,
friends of his who had died.
"Trud in January 1981 finally acknowl-
edged that there were more than 100 Jewish
award winners. A recent work published in
Israel reports that 67,000 Jews in the Red
Army were cited for meritorious performance,
bravery, or heroism during World War II.
Jews ranked fourth among nationalities in
award winners. The report also notes that of
500,000 Jews in the Red Army, 200,000 were
killed In action.
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Satirical attacks on Judaism and on per-
sons with Jewish-sounding names accused of
anti-social behavior crop up frequently in
the Soviet provincial press. Synagogue lead-
ers, in particular, are depicted as persons
engaged in unholy money dealings. This has
a special propaganda impact since, in the
Soviet cultural pattern, concern for one's
personal affluence is regarded as the worst
form of antisocial behavior. The satirical
articles appear largely in areas where anti-
Semitic sentiment is deep rooted. A 1960
study disclosed 77 such feuilletons in 15
major provincial papers."
The new program of the Communist Party,
in dealing with "Communist morality," calls
for "an uncompromising attitude toward
injustice, parasitism, dishonesty, careerism,
and moneygrubbing." In the current Soviet
campaign against economic crimes, especially
black marketeering and currency specula-
tion, the Jew is identified in press accounts
as the principal villain. This has been evi-
dent in newspaper stories of the arrest and
trial of Jews in Leningrad, Vilna, Tbilisi in
Georgia and elsewhere.
An analysis of,news reports up to the early
months of 1963 shows that in 63 trials in 39
cities, 83 of 141 persons sentenced to death-
almost 60 percent-were Jews," In a lengthy
account of the Vilna trial, Trud published a
description of currency speculators quarrel-
ing over the spoils, then seeking out the local
rabbi to settle the dispute. "The rabbi not
only knew of thedark affairs his parishioners
were Involved in, but was their arbiter as
wel," the Trud story took pains to say as
The Georgian newspaper Zaria Vostoka, re-
porting a Tbilisi trial, said that "speculation
went on full blast in the Lord's Temple," and
that the accused even used the inside cover
"of the religious book, the Torah" as a hid-
ing place for foreign currencyB6 Leningrad-
skaia Pravda pointed up the Jewish back-
ground of an alleged offender this way:
"Having scraped together a fortune,, he
dreamed of escaping abroad. It made no
difference where: to his brother in England,
to another brother in England, to another
brother in Germany or his sister in Israel." 87
In a controlled press whose stated ob-
jective is to educate the public, these refer-
ences, as Harrison Salisbury has reported,
"blur the lines and smear the Jews by con-
fusing them with criminal and antisocial ele-
ments in the population." k8
To the extent that negative stereotypes
of the Jew persist and are even tolerated in
high quarters, a permissive atmosphere is
created in which the Soviet bureaucrat who
practices discrimination is strengthened in
his motivations to do so. The permissive-
ness also tends to crystallize sentiment of
the Jew as a security risk. This, in turn,
leads to administrative measures that forci-
bly sever contacts between Soviet Jews and
their coreligionists abroad, hastening the as-
similatory process of Soviet Jewry.
Negative stereotyping has led to anti-Jewish
rioting
The "signs of racial overtones" in the
trials of economic offenders-as the Bulletin
of the International Commission of Jurists
described the preponderance of Jews among
those executed-disturbed philosopher Bert-
rand Russell. He wrote to Khrushchev that
he was "deeply perturbed at the death sen-
tences passed on Jews in the Soviet Union
83 One of every three feuilletons published
by a Latvian paper satirized Jews.
89 Statistical data indicated that, as of Oc-
tober 1963, of those sentenced to die for eco-
nomic crimes in the Ukraine 90 percent were
Jews; in Moldavia, 83 percent; in the RSFSR,
64 percent.
"Jan. 16, 1962.
s Nov. 30, 1981.
87 Sept. 16, 1961.
36 The New York Times, Feb. 8, 1962.
and the official encouragement of anti-
Semitism which apparently takes place." 89
Khrushchev replied that to ascribe anti-
Semitism to the trials was a "profound de-
lusion" since Individuals of other nationali-
ties also had been sentenced. "Which nation
has more or fewer criminals of any kind at
one time or another is a social question not
a national question," Khrushchev declared,
adding that the nature of the Soviet state
"precludes" the possibility of anti-
Semitismy6
Izvestia carried four letters out of "several
hundred reactions" which endorsed the So-
viet Premier's rebuff of the distinguished
British philosopher 05 But :Lord Russell
found neither the Premier's explanation nor
the arguments of the letter writers very com-
forting. "I consider the fact that 60 percent
of those executed were Jews to be greatly
disturbing," he wrote to the editors of
Izvestia. "I fervently hope that nothing
will take place which obliges us to believe
the Jews are receiving unjust treatment in
contradiction to the law." 02 Izvestia neither
printed the letter nor responded to it.
This major Soviet organ offered a different
kind of response on October 20, 1963. One
of its chief editors, Iu. Feofanov, on that
day wrote a long article, "No Mercy For
Thieves," which described at length the al-
leged crimes of two Jews named Shakerman
and Roffman. Feofanov deliberately noted
that he was mentioning the "Jewish family
names" of the individuals involved "because
we pay no attention to the malicious slander
? * * in the Western press." He called for
a "show trial." The possible repercussions
of a show trial upon popular attitudes to-
ward Jews aroused worldwide concern and
protests. Ultimately the U.S.S.R. backed
away from this proposal 03
Official toleration of negative stereotyping
of the Jew may well have played a role in
stimulating, or at least not discouraging, a
number of outbreaks against Jews and Jew-
ish institutions in the past few years. These
are some of the incidents reported in the
Western (but not Soviet) press:
October 4-5, 1959: During Rosh Hashana,
hundreds of leaflets were distributed and
posted on buildings in Malakhovka, a small
Moscow suburb, by a "Beat The Jews Com-
mittee." The leaflets said in part:
"Throw the Jews out of commerce where
they damage socialist property and the peo-
ple's wealth. They are an obstacle to the
development of commerce. They cause much
damage to the State and to the working peo-
ple, and amass profits for themselves."
Malakhovka's synagogue and the cottage
of the caretaker of the nearby Jewish ceme-
tery were set afire. The caretaker's wife was
found dead from strangulation .04
August 1960: The Party newspaper in
Buinaksk, Daghestan, published a story
that Jews mix Moslem blood with water to
drink for ritual purposes. This was the old
blood libel with a new twist-Moslem instead
of Christian blood. Two days later the news-
paper repudiated the article as a "political
error."
- Feb. 2, 1963.
pO Khrushchev replied Feb. 21, 1963. The
exchange of correspondence with Russell was
published in the Soviet press on February 28.
61 Mar.-24, 1963.
,2 Apr. 6, 1963.
93 In the same way the Soviet Union re-
treated from a decision to execute an alleged
criminal identified as a- "rabbi" in "Sovet-
skaia Rossiia," Aug. 30, 1963. Novosti on
Jan. 14, 1964,_reported that the death sen-
tence had been commuted to 15 years in im-
prisonment.
09 No mention of the incident was made in
the Soviet press. Blumel, after a visit to the
Soviet Union in 1961, said he been privately
informed that the culprits had been appre-
hended and convicted.
18205
September 1961: Another blood libel
rumor erupted into anti-Jewish riots in the
town of Margalen, Uzbekistan. The rumor:
A Jewish woman had kidnapped and slain
a 2-year-old Moslem boy for "ritual reasons."
The militia ransacked her home and arrested
her 90-year-old father. Mob fury broke out
in the streets against Jews. Later, the local
newspaper reported that a Uzbek woman
had kidnapped the boy. (He had been re-
turned unharmed.) Jews who had been as-
saulted vainly brought suit against the mob
leader. The court found that the prosecutor
had ignored the damaging role of the militia
and had minimized the extent of destruc-
tion of Jewish homes, and that the searches
and arrests of Jews were illegal. It directed
the prosecutor to correct his file of evidence
for submission at another trial DO
Spring 1962: A Jewish dentist in the town
of Tskhaltubo, Georgia, was accused of
drawing blood from the face and neck of a
Georgian boy who came to play with his
son, then selling the blood to the synagogue
In Kutaisi to be used in the baking of
matzo. The assistant public prosecutor, in-
terrogating the dentist, tortured him and
sent him to jail in Kutaisi. The dentist was
freed and the proceedings halted only after
the case reached higher judicial authorities
in central Georgia. These authorities ad-
vised the dentist, for his own safety, to. leave
his native Georgia and take up temporary
residence in Moscow.
May 19, 1962: A blood libel rumor in Tash-
kent, Uzbekistan, led to assaults on Jews.
A 70-year-old Jewish woman, accused of
taking blood from the ear of a Moslem girl
for use In the Passover ritual, was arrested
by the local prosecutor and detained for 3
weeks, during which time her home was
ransacked by police. Again, there were mob
assaults against Jews. The blood libel, it
was later shown, had originated with a minor
mishap in the woman's store: the girl had
fallen and suffered a slight cut on her ear.
The mob leaders, as well as the marauding
local police, went unpunished ?a
May 1962: Arsonists set fire to a synagogue
In Tskhakaya, Georgia. Scrolls of the Law,
prayer books and prayer shawls were badly
burned.
June 1962: A bomb exploded in front of the
.synagogue in Kutaist, Georgia. Two other
bombs were found inside the building.
Rosh Hashana 1962: During the High Holy
Day services, and 3 weeks later during Simhat
Torah ("Rejoicing of the Law"), bricks were -
hurled into the windows of the Great Syn-
agogue of Moscow. A jagged 5-pound brick
crashing through the glass, showered splin-
ters over many of the 6,000 Jews who sang
and danced during the Simhat Torah serv-
ice. It narrowly missed hitting the Israel
Ambassador and a New York Herald-Tribune
Reporter. "Unfortunately," said the Chief
Rabbi, "we still have evidence of anti-Semi-
tism." 97
March 1963: Seven weeks before Passover
a rumor spread through the city of Vilna,
Lithuania, that a 6-year-old girl had been
kidnapped and murdered by Jews to obtain
"Christian blood." There were reports of
Jewish children being persecuted by school-
mates and of hooligan attacks upon Jews.
The child's body was later found. It was
learned that she had been murdered by a
Lithuanian student who had committed sui-
cide.
66 Since then (November 1961) there has
been no report of a second trial.
06 When the story was reported in the West,
the Soviet Foreign Ministery's press depart-
ment first called it a "complete Invention."
A lengthier denial was later issued by Novosti.
Both statements, the Manchester Guardian
noted, "studiously avoid any mention of the
relevant details and therefore add to the
plausibility of the reports,"
67 The New York Times, Oct. 22, 1962.
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opwk !Ift s
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SEDATE August 10
The tragedy of these and other episodes,
bad as they are, is perhaps less in their oc-
currence than in the failure of Soviet au-
thorities to expose publicly their fraudulent
origins.
Kremlin view: 'here is no anti-Semitism it;
U.S S.R.
Instead the author ties constantly repeat
the refrain that anti-3emitiam does not and
cannot exist in the 7.S.S.R. When Khru-
shchev can deny tha; even Stalin's notori-
ous Doctor's Plot was anti-Semitic-as he
clearly Implied in his letter to Lord Rus-
sell-then It Is hardly surprising that officials
will refuse to take public cognizance of lessee
anti-Semitic outbursts. To still any clamor
for dealing with internal anti-Semitism the
regime has in recent months turned to con-
damnation of anti-Sfmitisnl in the West-
in the United States, West Germany, Argen-
tina.
In one recent anti-Semitic incident, how-
ever, Soviet authorities did take at least R
partially positive stew, although not until
world clamor for action (including vociferoup
outcries from foreign Communist Parties)
had become too insist;nt to be r"buffed.
The incident was the publication last Oc-
tober in Kiev of an anti-Semitic book, "JU'-
daism Without Embellishment," written by
T. Kichko. The Ukrf inian Academy of Set-
ences was the publisher. The work carried
vicious caricatures of Jews, reminiscent of
Julius Stretcher's "Der Stuermer."
The book and Its cent"nts become known
In the West last March. The hue and cry
which arose took on crescendo-like propor-
tions, and the major Communist Parties In
the West demanded a m explanation. Finally.
after some halfhearted Soviet statements
failed to still the outburst. the Ideological
Commission of the Soviet Communist Parr
Central Committee on April 4 released a
statement condemnirg the book as contra-
dicting "the party's Leninist policy on reli-
gious and nationality questions." The em-
barrassed commission acknowledged that the
book "may be interpreted in the spirit of
anti-Semitism." Khrushchev's son-in-law.
Alexei Adjubei, alec announced that all
copies had been removed from the book-
stalls.
Ironically, the Praida story on the com-
mission statement alc.o praised a book, "Cat-
echism Without Embellishment," which
carries many of the same types of negative
stereotypic images about Jews. Such ap-
proval, plus the continued publication of lit-
erature that stigmatizes Judaism in vulgar
tones of bigotry, indicate that the party hss
yet to reverse its position.
There are vigorous voices among Soviet
intellectuals eager to sensitize the public
to the evils of anti-Semitism. The distin-
guished Soviet writer K. Paustovsky pilloried
the Stalinist bureaucrats "who quite openly
carry on anti-Semiti' talk of a kind worthy
of pogrom-makers." 'I Yevtushenko, In his
autobiography M rel(.tes how he came to
loathe the anti-Semitism of leading literary
bureaucrats. Referring to a prize-winning
Stalinist poet, he wrote:
"Unfortunately It was people such as this
who sometimes mad( 'literary policy,' infedt-
ing It with evil-smelling things of all sorts,
including anti-Semitism. To .me, both a4 a
Russian and as a man to whom Leniq's
teaching is dearer than anything In the
world, anti-Semitism has always been doubly
repulsive."
Soviet intellectuals are growing voice of
reason
For Yevtusbenko, communism and anti-
Semitism are "mutually exclusive" and )ie
-In a 1966 speech to the Moscow Writers
Union.
"Published in the French newspaper
L'Express.
has raised his voice to that end. The pow-
erful "Babi Yar" was one example. The last
lines cf the poem express an attitude shared
by many Soviet Intellectuals:
"Let the `Internationale' ring out
When the last anti-Semite on earth is
t uried.
There is no Jewish blood in mine,
But I am hated by every anti-Semite as a
Jew
And for this reason,
I am a true Russian."
Yev tushenko's autobiography also tells if
public reaction to his first reading of "Ba3i
Yar " "When I finished," the poet wrote,
"there was dead silence. I kept creasing the
paper in my hand, afraid to look up. When
I did, the entire audience was on Its feat,
suddenly the applause broke out and went un
for about 10 minutes. People came up on
the stage and hugged me. My eyes were ft 11
of teas...
Yevtushenko received about 20,000 letters
when the poem was published. Only 30 3r
40 attacked him. This encouraging fact
suggests that a government-sponsored pr,3-
gram aimed at combating anti-Semitism and
restor..ng the religious and cultural rights
of Jews would have substantial support.
"STAG" BALLF.NTINE
Mr. ERVIN. Mr. President, on Moll-
day, July 20, the people of North Car)-
lina were deeply saddened to learn of
the death of one of their most dedicatb!d
public; servants: L. Y. Ballentine.
"Stag" Ballentine served the State of
North Carolina as a county comin ssioi-
er, as a State senator, as Lieutenant Gov-
ernor, and from 1948 until his death as
commissioner of agriculture. During his
16 years as commissioner, farm life to
North Carolina experienced profound
changes.
Throughout this period "Stag" Ballen-
tine labored to make the State's transi-
tion to mechanized farms and a mcre
industrialized economy smooth and le-
sponsible.
"Stag" Ballentine's unselfish devotion
to his State's welfare set a standard
worthy of emulation by all public st r-
vant.5.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous con-
sent to have printed in the RECORD the
following articles and editorials concern-
ing my friend's passing.
There being no objection, the artic.es
and editorials were ordered to be print-
ed in the RECORD, as follows:
(From the Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News,
July 22, 19841
A PUBLIC SERVANT PASSES
North Carolina Commissioner of Agricul-
ture L, Y. (Stag) Ballentine, who died of a
heart attack at White Sulphur Springs, W.
Va., Sunday night, was a faithful public
oflicir.l who served his State long and well.
Commissioner Ballentine was not oni;' a
capable but a personable Individual. To
know him was to like him, and that in large
degree explains the multitude of friends
whom he had, his success in dealing with
people and his invulnerability when electron
time rolled around.
-me poem and three others have b!en
set to music by Shostakovich as part of his
13th symphony. In response to official pies-
aures, Yevtushenko (and Shostakovi.,h)
agreed to add a line to the poem which reads
that Russians and Ukrainians had also tied
at Br.bi Yar.
His long period of office includeii Wake
County commissioner, member of the State
senate for 6 years, a term as Lieutenant Gov-
ernor and since 1948 occupancy of the high
position which he held when death over-
took him.
During Commissioner Ballentine's tenure,
North Carolina agriculture has known great
change. With cotton gone West and to-
bacco In jeopardy, there has been growing
emphasis upon cattle, food crops and other
farm products which lend diversification, find
ready markets and strengthen a weakened
economy. North Carolina, as a small family
farm State, has felt the pressure of change.
During all the change of Commissioner Bal-
lentine gave a calm, quiet but effective lead-
ership in facing up to inescapable problems
and holding dislocation to a minimum in
what continued to be a major factor of the
State's economy.
A product of the farm himself, he knew
his State and Its people and was particularly
well versed in the problems which came be-
fore him and his department. Farmers are
notoriously independent, but "Stag" Ballen-
tine managed to get a surprisingly large de-
gree of cooperation out of them In tackling
problems which were not merely their own
but statewide.
State Treasurer Edwin Gill, longtime col-
league of Commissioner Ballentine on the
Raleigh scene, perhaps gave the best sum-
mation of his friend and associate when he
cataloged him "a popular and distinguished
public servant who gave everything that he
had to the public service."
(From the Wins-.on-Salem (N.C.) Journal,
July 21,19641
"STAG" BALLENTINE
L. Y. (Stag) Ballentine, like his predeces-
sor, W. Kerr Scott, worked persistently and
hard to make the North Carolina Department
of Agriculture effective in meeting the needs
of the State farm economy.
There were these who suspected that the
personable Mr. Billentine had the ambition
to follow in Kerr Scott's footsteps from the
office of agriculture commissioner to the
Governor's mansion and possibly on to the
U.S. Senate. If he held that ambition, polit-
ieal developments in the State never gave
him the opportunity to realize it. But dur-
ing the 16 years of his tenure as head of the
agriculture department he won wide recog-
nition among farm leaders by his efforts to
make his agency a real force in promoting
better production, processing and marketing
practices among the farmers of North Caro-
lina.
Mr. Ballentine constantly emphasized the
importance of better marketing outlets for
farmers and the need for better packaging
and more processing plants for farm prod-
ucts. Under him the department also vied
with the extension service in advancing re-
search and experimentation In the effort to
develop better types of tobacco and other
farm products. As a dairyman and farmer
as well as business man, Stag Ballentine had
firsthand knowledge of the problems facing
the growers of his State and some very
definite, progressive Ideas on how these
problems could be solved.
But the interest of farmers was not Stag
Ballentine's sole object of concern. He per-
formed distinguished service earlier in his
career as a member of the Wake County
Board of Commissioners, as a State senator,
as chairman of the State board of education,
and as a lieutenant governor.
One of the finest tributes paid to him by
his associates in State government was that
of Edwin Gill, State treasurer, who said of
him that he "gave everything he had to the
public service." The death of such a public
servant leaves the State much poorer.
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