No Jews Allowed

In a gloomy basement room in Ottawa's Parliament Building, the House of Commons External Affairs Committee gathered one day last week to probe into a contentious affair: Why had the Canadian government abruptly canceled plans to rent space for its various agencies in Canada House, the 26-story skyscraper now abuilding on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, which was to be a Canadian business and cultural center in New York? In their digging the M.P.s encountered a genuine shock, involving another logical Canada House tenant: the prestigious, 1,600-member Canadian Club of New York.

On the witness stand was Ray Lawson, 71, who as Canadian consul general in New York from 1953 to 1955 was the prime mover behind Canada House. Ferreting about, the M.P.s wondered why the Canadian Club, long installed in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, had decided, even before construction started, not to take space in Canada House. Lawson could not say--but he did know that the former Liberal government was "very glad" to hear of the club's decision. He added: "I can understand the reasons. The Canadian Club has some very strict racial rules."

Did this mean that Jews were barred? Well, said Lawson, "they have at least one. I don't know how he got in." Pressed Montreal M.P. Leon Crestohl, obviously astonished: "Would you think that I, as a Jew and even as a member of the House of Commons, might be barred from membership?" Replied Lawson: "I would think so, yes." Said Crestohl evenly: "We have heard enough about the Canadian Club. Let's get on with our business."

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