Local Politics Causes Galician Zionists’ Split

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

A split in the ranks of the Zionist Organization in Eastern Galicia was brought about due to the increasing friction between the two wings of the organization on the question of the local politics in connection with the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The split occurred at the session of the Party Council which was convened here in an effort to bring about unity on the election issue. The policy of Dr. Leon Reich, president of the East Galician Zionists, who is opposed to the Gruenbaum plan of a national minorities bloc, including the territory of Eastern Galicia, was fought by a group led by former Deputy Hilsner. The group controls thirty per cent, of the members of the party council.

Dr. Reich, in his opposition to the minorities bloc, has decided to keep the bloc out of Eastern Galicia and urged the Jewish population to vote for a special Jewish list of candidates, independent of the bloc. The opposition led by former Deputy Hilsner insists that Eastern Galicia is to be included in the national minorities bloc and that to ask the Jewish population to vote for a special Jewish list will lose the Jewish vote.

As the conflict reached its height, the Hilsner group seceded from the party council, declaring that until a national convention is called, the Zionists of Eastern Galicia should submit to the decision of the Zionist Organization in Congress Poland which is sponsoring the bloc. The split was hastened by the action of the Reich group which has seized control of the party organ, “Der Morgen” which was until recently the mouthpiece of the opposition.