PERSECUTION AND HARASSMENT OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP67B00446R000400170013-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 28, 2005
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: June 14, 1965
• Content Type: OPEN

June. 14., 19 65
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - HOUSE 12921
This legislation would require the Vet-
erans' Administration to revert to its
former practice of issuing the flag of 5
by 91/2 feet and it is estimated it would
cost 40 cents additional for each of the
180,000 flags issued each year for a total
cost of $72,000 per year.
Mr. ADAIR. Mr. Speaker, the bill,
H.R. 2656, will prescribe the size of flags
furnished by the Veterans' Administra-
tion to drape the caskets of deceased
veterans.
Until 1963, the flag in use for this pur-
pose was 5 by 91/2 feet. A flag of
this size was adequate to cover the cas-
ket. In 1963 the Veterans' Administra-
tion arbitrarily reduced the size of the
flag to 41/2 by 7 feet. Complaints
have been received by Members of Con-
gress from veterans' organizations and
the next of kin of deceased veterans that
the flag being used was entirely too small
to adequately cover the casket. I con-
cur in these complaints and believe that
the slight additional cost of the larger
flag is most certainly warranted. I
therefore recommend the passage of H.R.
2656.
Mr. ROUDEBUSH. Mr. Speaker, I
strongly support H.R. 2656, a bill to pre-
scribe the size of burial flags. For many
years the standard size of the burial flag
was 5 feet by 91/2 feet. This size is also
used by the military and experience has
shown this is the size needed to carry out
the proper burial ritual by veterans or-
ganizations.
In 1963 the size of the flag issued by
the Veterans' Administration was arbi-
tarily reduced to 41/2 by 7 feet. Hundreds
of complaints have been received from
veterans organizations.
In the 88th Congress I introduced leg-
islation to correct this action by the Vet-
erans' Administration. Again in the 89th
Congress I introduced H.R. 1725, a bill
similar to H.R. 2656 in text, that will
amend the code and provide a 5- by
91/2-foot flag for burial purposes.
I strongly support this needed change
as incorporated in H.R. 2656.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed
and read a third time, was read the third
time, and passed, and a motion to recon-
sider was laid on the table.
The effect of these educational pro-
grams has reached, directly or indirectly,
into practically every American home.
This program, together with the World
War II program for veterans' education,
has been called the largest mass adult
education and training program ever un-
dertaken, and the full impact on the
economy of the country in increased
earnings, the value of the increase in the
number of skilled and professional man-
power, reduced unemployment, and other
benefits has not been fully measured.
Mr. ADAIR. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 235
will repeal as obsolete the provisions of
chapter 33 of title 38 of the United States
Code, which is commonly referred to as
the educational benefits of the Korean
GI bill. Inasmuch as the education pro-
gram under the Korean GI bill termi-
nated January 31, 1965, there is no rea-
son for the continuation of this obsolete
law as a part of title 38. Those provi-
sions of the law which remain in effect
are, under provisions of this bill, trans-
ferred to other chapters of title 38.
There is no cost attached to the bill and
the Veterans' Administration recom-
mends its adoption. I urge its approval.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed
and read a third time, was read the third
time, and passed, and a motion to recon-
sider was laid on tie table.
SIZE OF FLAGS FURNISHED BY
VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION
Mr. TEAGUE of Texas. Mr. Speaker,
I ask unanimous consent that the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State
of the Union be discharged from further
consideration of the bill (H.R. 2656) to
amend subsection (a) of section 901 of
title 38, United States Code, to pre-
scribe the size of flags furnished by the
Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to
drape the caskets of deceased veterans,
and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there
objection to the request of the gentle-
man from Texas?
There being no objection, the Clerk
read the bill, as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and -louse
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That sub-
section (a) of section 901 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the
end thereof, the following new sentence:
"Each such flag shall measure five feet in
width and nine and one-half feet in length."
Mr. TF,AGUE of Texas. Mr. Speaker,
this bill will prescribe as the size of the
flag, given by the Veterans' Administra-
tion to drape the caskets of deceased
veterans, as 5 feet in width and 91/2 feet
in length.
In 1963, an administrative decision was
made to reduce the size of the flag to 41/2
by 7 feet. This decision was approved
by the Administrator of General Serv-
ices under date of May 27, 1963, and flags
of this size are now being used by the
Veterans' Administration.
There have been numerous complaints
from veterans' organizations and re-
cipients of the flag as to its size, that
the present size does not actually cover
the entire casket at the time of the fu-
neral.
CHICAGO'S RECEPTION TO ASTRO-
NAUTS HITS ALLTIME RECORD
(Mr. O'HARA of Illinois asked and
was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute and to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. O'HARA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker,
this is a day in history. Chicago is
doing honors to Astronauts Edward
White and James McDivitt in a celebra-
tion that probably sets an alltime record
in the number of persons participating
and depth of enthusiasm. From the
Congress of the United States goes
warmest congratulations to Mayor Rich-
ard J. Daley a e p ople of hicago.
C
UTION AND HARASSMENT
/PE EEE
OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS BEHIND
THE IRON CURTAIN
(Mrs. KELLY asked and was given
permission to address ' the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend her
remarks and include extraneous matter.)
Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, the news
that persecution and harassment of re-
ligious groups exists behind the Iron
Curtain within the U.S.S.R.-Russia-
and Eastern European countries comes
as no surprise to Americans, Members of
Congress, and to all free people. This
persecution in varying degrees of in-
tensity is continuing to Christian, Jew-
ish, and Muslim citizens. The harass-
ment and infringing upon the inherent.
rights of religions through confiscatory
taxation and closing of religious institu-
tions, deliberate suppression of religious
education, interference with religious
and related cultural practices, denial of
regular contacts between religious bodies
in their countries with similar bodies in
other parts of the world must be ad-
mitted.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on
Europe of the House Committee on For-
eign Affairs, I would like to state that
this committee has just completed hear-
ings on this very subject. We had ex-
tensive testimony from members of all
faiths, Jewish, Muslim, Orthodox, Prot-
estant, and Catholic on the manner in
which religious persecution, both overt
and covert, continues in Communist
countries. The purpose of these hear-
ings was not to be just a reminder of
lest we forget nor that we thought we
might be able to stop such persecution-
but my reason, personally, was to expose
.the hypocrisy of Communist guarantees
by proving that the leaders of Commu-
nist governments do not live up to their
guarantees. If they would match the
words of their constitutions which guar-
antee religious freedom to all peoples,
hearings such as ours would not be neces-
sary. They try to deny persecution ex-
ists by pointing to "showcases" of
churches and synagogues being opened
while all the time the countless persecu-
tion of religion goes on.
Your Subcommittee on Europe passed
a resolution unanimously on this subject.
It is now pending before the full Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and I hope action will
be taken on this shortly. It is my hope
that the governments of the Soviet
Union and the governments of the east-
ern European countries will grant the
exercise of religious rights and related
cultural pursuits to all the people living
within their nations.
I hope our small action will alert the
governments behind the Iron Curtain
that we only seek the guarantee of the
rights of all peoples.
I have requested unanimous consent to
insert in the RECORD an article which ap-
pears in the New York Times of June 14,
1965, with which I take issue. I regret
that an outstanding member of the
Jewish faith, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, has
disagreed that persecution is taking
place. I insert this article from the New
York Times in the RECORD:
ZIONISTS IS
SOVIET
(By W. Granger Blair)
JERUSALEM (ISRAEL SECTOR), June 14:
The Jewish Agency for Israel has disavowed
remarks made on Soviet Jews by Dr. Nahum
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 CPYRGHT
12922 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - HOUSE June 14, 1965
Goldmann, president of the World Zioni t
Organization.
Dr. Goldmann contended last week t t
public criticism and appeals for a chap
in Soviet treatment of Jews were ineffectiv ,
"too often being distorted" and sometim
harmful. He advocated "quiet diplomacy."
A Jewish agency spokesman said that t
opinipns, expressed at a news conference
blew York last Thursday, were "personal an I
did not reflect the policies of the Wor
Zionist Organization. The agency and t
WZO have overlapping functions and aims
the promotion of Zionism.
The Jewish agency was particularly ups
that Dr. Goldmann at his news confe -
ence had not repeated his statement of
month ago that all his political atatemnn s
were made in a private capacity and in.
way commited the World Zionist Organiz -
tion,
LEADERS REPORTED UPSLT
It was understood that Premier Le i
Fahkol and Foreign Minister Golda Meir an i
their associates were. also upset over t e
Zionist leader's comments that accusatiox s
against the Soviet Union's treatment of ii a
Jews were -often distorted.
A Jewish -Agency official bemoaned the fa t
that "the good relations that we had but t
up" between the agency and key Cover -
inent ministries on foreign policy questio s
had received a setback with Dr. Goldman s
statements.
However, this was not the first time th t
Dr. Goldmann has been at odds with Israel s
leaders over a foreign policy question. Wh
David' Den-Gurion was Premier the two in
frequently and publicly disagreed. Und r
the Eshkol regime these frictions have bee a
reduced.
Pour of the five Israeli newspapers th t
devoted editorials today to Dr. Goldman s
New York statements took him to task. Ti
only paper that supported his advocacy f
"quiet diplomatic action" was the organ f
the ultra-orthodox religious political par
Agudat Israel.
One paper called his statements "most su -
prising and in part damaging and harmful "
Another asked if "it was necessary to put
weapon into our enemies' hands by declari
that unjust accusations are being level
against Russia."
A third asserted that "we cannot unde -
stand why at this particular time when t e
Jewish organizations in the United State
largely against the will of the State Depar -
ment-have come out into the open to w2rx
over public opinion Dr. Goldmann corn s
along to stick a spoke in the wheel."
,The fourth critical newspaper held th~ t
"comin in the wake of President .tohnso s
recent uklic appeal to the Soviet Govan -
meat in behalf of. Russian Jewry, Dr. Gol -
iri&lin's, statements clearly were unfortuna
in their timing."
In its campaign to arouse world opini
and Jewish opinion in particular to the r -
strictiops placed on Russian Jews the Isra i
Government has always emphasized the rig t
of Soviet Jewry to emigrate freely to Israel.
Close observers of the Israeli scene belie e
this emphasis reflects the desire of this tour -
try's authorities t9 offset the rapidly e -
panding backward and poorly educat
Oriental Jewish communities with mo e
progreeAive slid better educated Jews fro
the Wert and from the Soviet Union,
WATERGATE CONCERT SHELL
(Mr,, RONCALIO asked and was given
permission to address the House for 1
. minute, to revise and extend his remarks
and include extraneous,;nlatter.)
Mr. RONCALIO, Mr. Speaker, on this
day of the Vestivai, of Arts at the White
House, it seems particularly appropriate
to, introduce a bill for,the coiastruction of
a new shell for the Watergate and other
concerts on the Potomac.
As a former staff employee of the late
Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney, of Wyo-
ming, I am a Watergate concert fan of
long standing, and as a member of the
House Interior and Insular Affairs Com-
mittee, I share the concern regarding the
deterioration of the present facility.
If Washington is to remain a fitting
Capitol for this great Nation, it seems.
imperative that we not let the Watergate
tradition die. In behalf of all who are
interested in a more beautiful Washing-
ton, I am happy to introduce the fol-
lowing bill:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled? That there is
hereby appropriated out of any money in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to
the Secretary of the Interior, a sum not ex-
ceeding $342,500 to construct a new and
larger concert shell, with either a barge or
piling foundation, for the Watergate and
other concerts in Washington, D.C.
LAND ACQUISITION POLICIES
SHOULD CHANGE
'(Mr. ROUSH asked and was given per-
mission to address the House for 1 min-
ute and to revise, and extend his re-
marks.)
Mr. ROUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise once
again to protest the land acquisition poli-
cies of the Army Corps of Engineers. The
so-called negotiation. policy is one which
should receive a complete and immediate
review. It is a policy which is doing more
to create distrust of the Federal Gov-
ernment in certain areas of the country
than anything I know. The citizen is
never told what the Government's ap-
praisal is. If he is shrewd in the ways of
business, he will avoid., takiing the first
offer. He will argue and resist and the
Government will gradually come up and
they might get together. But those who
deserve the most protection get the least
protection under this policy. The old and
tired, the inexperienced in business af-
fairs, the weak and gullible-all are
taken advantage of by this policy. And
then, too, Mr. Speaker, in my area of
Indiana, the Government has been stingy
and reluctant in their offers. In certain
instances I feel quite sure that the Gov-
ernment will get trounced in the courts
by those whose determination has taken
them into the courts. Appraisals are in
the hands of affected property owners
giving values twice as high as that the
Government has offered. These are ap-
praisals by competent local appraisers
who know better than any outsider the
value of lands being bought and sold in
the area. It bothers me to know that
these people are taken advantage of but
most of all I am disturbed by the fact
these highhanded tactics are creating
such bitter and resentful feelings against
the Federal Government. it is under-
standable that the people being displaced
are disturbed and distressed because the
Government is interfering with their
lives and in some instances their liveli-
hood but when it is all done they should
at the least have respect for the Govern-
ment and its processes and be able to
say, "The Government treated me fairly."
IMPROVEMENT IN OUR LABOR LAWS
(Mr. REID of New York asked and
was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute and to revise and ex-
tend his remarks.)
Mr. REID of New York. Mr. Speaker,
I am today introducing a package of five
labor bills which anticipates the repeal
of section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act
and provides for appropriate improve-
ment in labor laws to further safeguard
the public interest and bolster union
democracy.
Four of these measures are designed
to strengthen the collective bargaining
process:" provide for a secret ballot in
union representation cases ; further equal
employment opportunities and improve
machinery to deal with national emer-
gency strikes. The fifth bill would in-
crease the minimum wage under the Fair
Labor Standards Act from $1.25 to $1.50
per hour.
Parallel measures are being introduced
in the other body by my distinguished
colleague, Senator JACOB K. JAV]:TS, rank-
ing Republican on the Senat' Labor and
Public Welfare Committee.
I have long been on record against
proposals which seek to abolish or di-
minish labor's right to self-organization
and collective action. Unions have
largely been a force for good in our so-
ciety. But no objective person can fail
to recognize the need for keeping union
responsibility abreast of union authority.
Mr. Speaker, the first of the bills I am
introducing today would amend the
Labor-Management Relations Act to give
the Federal courts jurisdiction to en-
force provisions of collective bargaining
agreements containing no-strike, no-
lockout clauses, provided that such juris-
diction is specifically accepted in the con-
tract and the contract contains a clause
providing for the arbitration of disputes.
The Supreme Court has held that the
Federal courts are deprived of jurisdic-
tion to enforce no-strike clauses regard-
less of what the parties themselves have
negotiated.
The second bill amends the National
Labor Relations Act to insure, when re-
quested, a secret ballot election in union
representation cases in lieu of a card
check.
The third bill would amend the Equal
Employment Opportunity title, title VII,
of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to improve
its coverage of unions and employers, to
strengthen the enforcement and investi-
gatory powers of the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission-similar to
New York State's Commission on Hu-
man Rights-and to stress equal oppor-
tunity access to apprenticeship and
other training programs.
Testimony before the House Educa-
tion and Labor Committee still indicates
that only about 2 percent of those en-
gaged in apprenticeship training pro-
grams throughout the United States are
Negro. Further, Negro unemployment
rates are at least double those of others ;
and the Commission should be given the
power to issue cease and desist orders,
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