Letter from Congressman Emanuel Celler to President Harry S. Truman

EMANUEL CELLER NEW YORK OFFICE: 15TH DISTRICT, NEW YORK 1450 BROADWAY NEW YORK CITY MEMBER OF COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY 1524 NEW HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING Congress of the United States WASHINGTON WASHINGTON SECRETARIES: BESSIE EFFRAT BERTA KASLOW house of Representatives NEW YORK SECRETARIES: JACOB GRALLA MARY DOUGHERTY Washington, D. C. PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL 4 8 23 AM Honorable Harry S. Truman 48 President of the United States RECEIVED Washington, D. C. My dear Mr. President: I again take the liberty of addressing myself to you on the matter of the State of Israel because it is my firm and studied belief that Executive action on two levels will result in increased security for United States interests in the Middle East, increased stability for the State of Israel and increased leadership for the United States' moral position before the United Nations. I refer to the extension of de jure recognition to the State of Israel and the granting of the application of the State of Israel for the loan of one hundred million dollars by the Export-Import Bank. De jure recognition can be rightfully withheld when serious questions arise as to whether the government is in the possession of the machinery of the state and where it governs with the assent of the people, and where it is a question of whether the government can fulfill its international obligations. None of these questions arise with the Government of Israel. The machinery of government is functioning in all spheres of activity. It cannot be said in view of the all-out war effort that those presently governing are doing so without the consent of the governed. Nor can it be said in view of all negotiations between the State of Israel and the United Nations that it cannot fulfill its international obligations. No truce could have been effected had that been so. It has been stated by the Department of State as a matter of policy that "the time element as such does not enter into con- siderations affecting recognition of a new government.' 11 Therefore, the youth of the nww Republic cannot be the deciding factor. I was on the Committee on Platform and Resolutions at the Democratic Convention. I was a member of the sub-