[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 106 (Thursday, August 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                        SUPPORT THE PELOSI BILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Wolf] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address the House and my 
colleagues today about an issue that we are going to vote on next week, 
and that is the Pelosi bill, dealing with MFN for only a very narrow 
segment of the industry in China. The Pelosi bill does not eliminate 
MFN for China. The Pelosi bill deals with only the People's Liberation 
Army, which has done terrible things. We have seen pictures at 
Tiananmen Square and we know what they have done, and I have brought 
some pictures, some are so graphic that I probably will not show them 
today, but perhaps later on for Members, and also goods made by slave 
labor.
  I had the opportunity to visit Beijing Prison No. 1, a slave labor 
prison, where 40 Tiananmen Square demonstrators were. The American 
people really do not want to permit goods to come in made by slave 
labor.
  So we are really only talking about this very narrow thing. This is a 
graphic picture of a chemical processing room at a Qionghai garment 
factory, and the chemical eats into the naked bodies. This is slave 
labor working on this process in the garment factory.
  The other pictures are too graphic, and I do not think we will deal 
with them today.
  Let me say at the outset there are good and decent people on both 
sides of this issue, and I just want to share with the body a thought 
or two that I have with regard to this issue. As we do, it is important 
to remember this bill only deals with the People's Liberation Army, and 
also with slave labor goods.
  I want to bring to the body's attention and talk about something that 
Secretary of State Hull said in 1933, a telegram indicating that in his 
opinion the mistreatment of the Jews in Nazi Germany was no longer a 
problem. I will insert these cables in the Congressional Record.
  The first cable, March 3, 1933, said Mr. Hull reveals he had received 
reports that the entire Jewish population was ``living under the shadow 
of a campaign of murder,'' scheduled to begin in a few days, but ``pay 
no credence to them.'' The second cable of March 21, 1933, said 
although the State Department admits that the U.S. press was reporting 
widespread mistreatment of Jews in Germany, ``telegrams thus far 
received from the embassy do not appear to bear out the gravity of the 
situation.''
  The March 24 cablegram, despite receiving pleas to take up the issue 
with the German Government, Mr. Hull was ``of the opinion that outside 
intercession has rarely produced the results desired, and have 
frequently aggravated the situation.''
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to include for the Record a New York 
Times article with the text of another telegram Mr. Hull sent 3 days 
later. In it he stated, ``In the opinion of the embassy, such a 
stabilization appears to have been reached in the field of personal 
mistreatment, and there are indications that in other phases the 
situation is improving.''
  That was in 1933. We all know what happened after that.
  We should not close our eyes in 1994 to the brutality occurring in 
China, persecution of the churches, eugenics, human organ transplant 
sales, torture of prisoners, slave labor, weapons sales to the Middle 
East and other countries, and other massive human rights violations.
  Please understand I am not suggesting that the People's Republic of 
China is the 1994 version of the genocidal Nazi Germany. But, as in the 
thirties, when there was an unwillingness to believe that human rights 
violations could be occurring, I personally fear that the world today 
may be naively turning away from ongoing brutal repression in the 
People's Republic of China, and I believe that the world should not be 
silent in 1994, as it was in 1933.
  This is a tough issue. Many people think it is a trade issue. I have 
been for every free trade bill in the Congress. I have never voted for 
the protectionist bill since I have been here. But I think this is a 
human rights bill, and it is also targeted against the People's 
Liberation Army.
  Now, again, let me just say, there are good people on both sides, 
very decent people, and some people said this is not an important vote, 
because, one, the President is going to veto it. Well, nobody is going 
to get elected because of their vote or get defeated because of their 
vote. But this vote gives us an opportunity, even if the President does 
veto it, to send a message to the Chinese Government that the United 
States Congress cares about this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I will insert in the Record the documents that I spoke 
about.

               [From the New York Times, March 27, 1933]

         Nazis End Attacks on Jews in Reich, Our Embassy Finds


                          hopes for early calm

       Washington, March 26.--Mistreatment of Jews in Germany has 
     virtually ceased, according to Secretary of State Hull, who 
     conveyed this information today in telegrams to Dr. Cyrus 
     Adler of Philadelphia and rabbi Stephen S. Wise of New York, 
     who came to Washington last week to protest against German 
     treatment of Jews.
       Mr. Hull said Germans felt that such a far-reaching 
     political readjustment could not have taken place without 
     some delay in reaching a state of equilibrium. The situation 
     was improving, he asserted, largely as the result of demands 
     for discipline by Chancellor Hitler and also the reiteration 
     by Vice Chancellor von Papen of the necessity for a cessation 
     of individual depredations.
       The Secretary of State will continue to watch the 
     situation, he said, but felt hopeful that conditions would 
     soon become normal.


                       secretary hull's telegram

       Secretary Hull's telegram to Rabbi Wise and Dr. Adler 
     follows:
       You will remember that at the time of your recent call at 
     the department I informed you that, in view of numerous press 
     statements indicating widespread mistreatment of the Jews in 
     Germany, I would request the American Embassy at Berlin in 
     consultation with the principal consulates in Germany to 
     investigate the situation and submit a report.
       A reply has now been received indicating that whereas there 
     was for a short time considerable physical mistreatment of 
     Jews, this phase may be considered virtually terminated. 
     There was also some picketing of Jewish merchandising stores 
     and instances of professional discrimination. These 
     manifestations were viewed with serious concern by the German 
     Government.
       Hitler, in his capacity as leader of the Nazi party, issued 
     an order calling upon his followers to maintain law and 
     order, to avoid molesting foreigners, disrupting trade, and 
     to avoid the creation of possibly embarrassing international 
     incidents.
       Later, von Papen delivered a speech at Breslau in which he 
     not only reiterated Hitler's appeals for discipline but 
     abjured the victors of the last election not to spoil their 
     triumph by unworthy acts of revenge and violence which could 
     only bring discredit upon the new regime in foreign 
     countries. As a result, the embassy reports that the 
     au thority of the regular police has been reinforced.
       The feeling has been widespread in Germany that following 
     so far-reaching a political readjustment as has recently 
     taken place, some time must elapse before a state of 
     equilibrium could be re-established. In the opinion of the 
     embassy, such a stabilization appears to have been reached in 
     the field of personal mistreatment, and there are indications 
     that in other phases the situation is improving.
       I feel hopeful, in view of the reported attitude of high 
     German officials and the evidences of amelioration already 
     indicated, that the situation, which has caused such 
     widespread concern throughout the country, will soon revert 
     to normal. Meanwhile, I shall continue to watch the situation 
     closely, with a sympathetic interest and with a desire to be 
     helpful in whatever way possible.
                                                     Cordell Hull,
                                               Secretary of State.


                         leaders reply to hull

       The American Jewish Congress, through its officers, 
     announced last night that the organization had replied to 
     Secretary Hull's telegram. The text of the reply was as 
     follows:
       In the name of the American Jewish Congress we wish to 
     thank you for your prompt report on the situation in Germany, 
     which confirms our fears that there has been ``considerable 
     physical mistreatment of Jews, picketing of Jewish 
     merchandising stores, and instances of professional 
     discrimination.''
       The American Jewish Congress notes your statement that 
     Hitler ``has issued an order calling upon his followers to 
     maintain law and order, to avoid molesting foreigners, 
     disrupting trade and to avoid the creation of possibly 
     embarrassing international incidents.''
       We are deeply grateful for your assurances that you will 
     continue to watch the situation closely with a sympathetic 
     interest. For we feel that, in view of the official program 
     of the Nazi party and its record of thirteen years 
     disseminating hatred against the Jewish people, the Jews of 
     Germany are in great and imminent jeopardy of life and 
     property, of civil rights and religious liberty. Until the 
     status of the Jewish citizens of Germany is safeguarded and 
     the position of the non-national Jews is secured, the 
     enlightened option of America must watch with profoundest 
     anxiety the development of events in Germany.
       May we repeat what we emphasized in the course of our visit 
     to the State Department, namely, that we are moved by no 
     feeling of unfriendliness or ill will to the German 
     nation. Our concern is for the security of the Jews of 
     Germany and the safeguarding of their human and political 
     rights.
     Stephen S. Wise,
       Honorary President.
     Bernard S. Deutsch,
       President, The American Jewish Congress.
                                  ____


                         Neurath Denies Rumors


         GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER CONDEMNS ANTI-NAZI PROPAGANDA

       Berlin, March 26.--Foreign Minister Constantin von Neurath, 
     ordinarily the Hitler Cabinet's silent man who seldom 
     receives journalists, broke his silence today to throw the 
     entire weight of his internationally known personality 
     against what he considers ``the deliberate, sudden rebirth of 
     the vilification campaign conducted during the World War 
     against the German Government.''
       Speaking quietly, but with an inner emotion that even his 
     composed attitude of a man of the world could not hide, he 
     declared:
       ``It is my duty, both because I must defend the honor of my 
     people and because I am a responsible statesman, to warn the 
     world against permitting the baneful spirit of calumny in 
     vogue during the war to flare up again.''
       To a general question regarding the Federal Government's 
     attitude toward news published in the foreign press of 
     alleged acts of terror committed against different-minded 
     persons, and especially Jews, Baron von Neurath replied:
       ``Even the best organized administrative apparatus would 
     not suffice to go to the bottom of each and every one of 
     these malicious false reports and deny them.
       ``I find no other explanation for the present propaganda 
     unloosed against the German Government than to consider it a 
     deliberate, sudden rebirth of the vilification campaign 
     conducted during the World War.
       ``Just as Belgian atrocity stories then mentioned chopped-
     off children's arms, so there is talk today of allegedly 
     gouged eyes and cut-off ears. One would really think that the 
     foreign public, which meanwhile realized the untruth of the 
     World War atrocity stories, would not so easily again be 
     deceived by a new dishing-up of similar fairy tales.


                       SOCIALISTS FOUND UNINJURED

       ``How absurd such propaganda is you yourself experienced 
     Tuesday. That very morning you could read of unbelievable 
     atrocities committed on Messrs. Breitscheld and Wels, but in 
     the afternoon you had the opportunity with your own eyes to 
     see these two gentlemen participate in the Reichstag session, 
     (Dr. Rudolf Breitscheld and Otto Wels are Socialist members 
     of the Reichstag.)
       ``It would seem to me that this one reference renders 
     unnecessary my dwelling on other details.
       ``If at the beginning of the national revolution certain 
     excesses may have been committed by isolated individuals, 
     then that is certainly regrettable. At the same time it 
     must be said that never in history did a revolutionary 
     upheaval occur like that which now is completed in Germany 
     without an accompaniment of certain hardships.
       ``According to my opinion, the German people gave proof of 
     their tremendous innate discipline by the fact that such 
     arbitrary individual acts took place only in a new cases, and 
     even then only in comparatively mild form.
       ``You will yourself have noticed that the energetic appeals 
     by the Reich's Chancellor and Minister Goering, who several 
     days ago decreed severest penalties for such like arbitrary 
     acts by individuals, were thoroughly and unqualifiedly 
     successful and that no more cases of unauthorized procedure 
     became known.
       ``As concerns Jews, I can only say that their propagandists 
     abroad are rendering their co-religionists in Germany no 
     service by giving the German public, through their distorted 
     and untruthful news about persecution and torture of Jews, 
     the impression that they actually halt at nothing, not even 
     at lies and calumny, to fight the present German Government.
       ``Why, even a prominent Jewish banker told one of your 
     American colleagues, ``we reject all foreign interferences. 
     German Jews are human enough to help ourselves.'
       ``Actually, every visitor must agree that when he walks 
     through the streets of Berlin even today he encounters Jews, 
     poor as well as elegantly dressed, who are attending their 
     business. Nobody has harmed them.


                          says press was duped

       ``It is most regrettable that not only the yellow press but 
     even some papers of the highest standing have permitted 
     themselves to be duped by this propaganda. For instance, a 
     big American sheet wrote several days ago that foreign 
     correspondents must submit their reports to a censor. You 
     must admit this was not the case.
       ``In those few instances, where telegraph authorities on 
     the basis of an international treaty, held up reports of 
     foreign correspondents, their news items were either untrue 
     or so distorted that their publication indubitably had to be 
     considered dangerous to the State.
       ``That in times like these steps were taken against them 
     can be considered by nobody who thinks impartially by nobody 
     who thinks impartially as an arbitrary interference with the 
     freedom of the press. Amicable relations between peoples are 
     not served if the grown irresponsible, malicious rumor 
     managering.
       When, therefore, is this very frank talk I have spoken so 
     sharply against this sort of propaganda by the foreign press, 
     I did it not only because I must defend the honor of my 
     people but because as a responsible statesman I also have the 
     duty to warn the world against permitting the baneful war-
     time spirit of vilification to flare up again.''


                                          Department of State,

                                        Washington, March 3, 1933.
     American Embassy,
     Berlin, Germany
       The following appeared as an Associate Press dispatch from 
     London today in the Public Ledger, Philadelphia:
       ``London Daily Herald said today plans were complete for 
     Anti-Jewish program in Germany on a scale as terrible as any 
     instance Jewish persecution in two thousand years.''
       The paper ascribed its information to ``high source'' and 
     whole Jewish population of Germany totaling six hundred 
     thousand is living under shadow of a campaign of murder which 
     may be initiated within a few hours and cannot be postponed 
     for more than a few days''.
       While this Government is disinclined to lend credence to 
     this report, it is causing widespread distress among a large 
     section of the American people. You may, in your discretion, 
     talk the matter over with German Government and acquaint them 
     with the apprehension and distress that is being felt here.
                                                           Stinson
                                  ____



                                          Department of State,

                                       Washington, March 21, 1933.
     American Embassy,
     Berlin, Germany
       Press reports indicating widespread mistreatment of Jews in 
     Germany, are causing deep concern and even alarm to a large 
     section of our population. This is showing itself not only in 
     press comment, but in a series of meetings and conferences, 
     the most important of which is to be a mass meeting scheduled 
     in New York for March 27. A delegation of important Jewish 
     leaders called at the Department this afternoon.
       Telegarms thus far received from the Embassy would not 
     appear to bear out the gravity of the situation reported 
     above. It is important, however, for us to have an exact 
     picture of what is taking place. Please therefore telegraph 
     us the facts as you see them, after consulting the principal 
     Consulates, by telephone if necessary, with a view to 
     ascertaining the situation throughout different parts of the 
     country.
                                                              Hull
                                  ____



                                          Department of State,

                                       Washington, March 24, 1933.
     American Embassy,
     Berlin, Germany
       Public opinion in this country continues alarmed at the 
     persistent press reports of mistreatment of Jews in Germany. 
     We are under heavy pressure to make representations in their 
     behalf to the German Government. I am of the opinion that 
     outside intercession has rarely produced the results desired 
     and has frequently aggravated the situation. Nevertheless if 
     you perceive any way in which this Government could usefully 
     be of assistance, I should appreciate your frank and 
     confidential advice. On Monday next there is to be held in 
     New York a monster mass meeting. If prior to that date an 
     amelioration in the situation has taken place, which you 
     could report in form susceptible of release to the press, 
     together with public assurance by Hitler and other leaders, 
     it would have a claiming effect.
                                                              Hull
                                  

                          ____________________