Speech #840082951

Israel. Greece. or Turkeyand if Germany is closer. is the degree of propinquity 80 times greater than in the case of Greece and 115 times greater than in the case of Turkey? Many other statements made. unfortunately. by some prominent Members of Congress during the debate on the McCarran billillustrated the climate of opinion which has produced our immigration laws since the early 1920s. an opinion and attitude of wholesale mistrust and fear of certain races. The unanimous testimony of an anthropologist is that the concept of a "pure race" is entirely erroneous and fallacious. No pure race can be found in any civilized countryunless in the United States it being the Eskimos and the Indians. The present races of man have intermingled and inbred (fortunately) for so many thousands of years that their genealogical lines have become inextricably confused. On this I am pleased to refer you to the statement of principles regarding Immigration and Naturalization Policies issued March 15. 1955. as representative of the joint views of the AmericanJewish Congress. Jewish War Veterans of the United States and 37 Jewish Community Councils which comprise the National Community Relations Advisory Council. The statement of principles to which I have referred represents a complete reiteration of the intelligent opinion stated by outstanding Catholics and Protestants. as well as Jews interested in this problem.