The Grey Book: A collection of protests against anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews issued by non-Roman Catholic churches and church leaders during Hitlers ruleSnoek, Johan M.
Religion
The Grey Book: A collection of protests against anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews issued by non-Roman Catholic churches and church leaders during Hitlers rule
Snoek, Johan M.
Antisemitism; Christianity and other religions -- Judaism; Judaism -- Relations -- Christianity; Protestant churches -- Europe
"The American people has made clear its reaction to the oppression of all
minority groups, religious and racial, throughout Germany. It has been
especially moved by the plight of the children.
Every heart has been touched, and the nation has spoken out its sorrow and
dismay through the voices of its statesmen, teachers and religious leaders.
Americans have felt that protest, however vigorous and sympathy, however deep,
are not enough, and that these must translate themselves into such action
as shall justify faith.
We have been stirred by the knowledge that Holland and England have opened
their doors and their homes to many of these children. We conceive it to be
our duty, in the name of the American tradition and the religious spirit
common to our nation to urge the people, by its Congress and Executive, to
express sympathy through special treatment of the young, robbed of country,
homes and parents.
A heartening token of the mood of America is to be found in the fact that
thousands of Americans of all faiths have made known their eagerness to take
these young children into their homes, without burden or obligation to the
State.
Working within and under the laws of Congress, through special enactment if
necessary, the nation can offer sanctuary to a part of these children by
united expression of its will to help. <88>
To us it seems that the duty of Americans in dealing with the youthful
victims of a regime which punishes innocent and tender children as if they
were offenders, is to remember the admonition of Him who said, 'Suffer little
children to come unto me'. And in that spirit we call on all Americans to
join together without regard to race, religion or creed in offering refuge
to children as a token of our sympathy and as a symbol of our faith in the
ideals of human brotherhood." [220]
Senator Robert F. Wagner, attempting to implement the clergymen's proposal,
introduced a resolution in the Senate. Known as the Child Refugee Bill, it
proposed that a maximum of ten thousand children under the age of fourteen
be admitted in 1939, and a similar number in 1940. Their entry would be
considered apart from and in addition to the regular German quota. [221]
The Executive of the Federal Council supported the Bill:
"In the extraordinary circumstances which have created the problem of Jewish
and Christian refugees from Germany, we feel that it is not enough to call
upon other nations to help or to voice our protests but some such practical
step as the one here contemplated is imperative and will do much to facilitate
a larger approach to the problem of which it is but one part." [222]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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