News Brief

A resolution adopted with wide acclaim praised the services to the Zionist movement of Dr. Chaim Weizmann, former president of the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Palestine and expressed the hope that he would shortly come to this country in the interests of Palestine endeavor.

“The thirty-fifth annual convention of the Zionist Organization of America in session assembled,” read the resolution, “extends its affectionate greetings and hearty wishes to Dr. Chaim Weizmann and its warm appreciatior of his exemplary devotion to the Zionist cause in continuing his services to the upbuilding of Palestine, especially to his successful tour through South Africa which has brought stimulation to the cause of Zionism.

“Recalling with pleasure the great enthusiasm which his efforts and leadership have always aroused in the masses of American Jewry and the enormous influence which he has exercised on behalf of Palestine in this country, we express the hope that he may soon be with us to inspire and stimulate the great efforts which are now required to meet the extrordinarily difficult situation with which we are now confronted,” the resolution concluded.

The sessions of the Convention were opened on Saturday evening with a meeting of the Administrative Committee and continued throughout the day Sunday and Monday. Louis Lipsky, chairman of the American Palestine Campaingn, Robert Szold, Judge William M. Lewis, Judge Julian W. Mack, Morris Rothenberg and Mrs. Edward Jacobs were named as a praesidium. Mr. Lipsky presided at the majority of the sessions.

The determination to carry on despite economic difficulties was a keynote of the convention speeches.

SZOLD STRIKES OPTIMISTIC NOTE

The first note of optimism was struck by Robert Szold in his message This note of faith and confidence in the ultimate achievement of the Zionist as pirations continued throughout the Convention and could not be submerged even by the rancor that characterized some of the causes.

Reviewing Zionist achievement during the past year, Mr. Szold pointed to the splendid progress the ancient homeland has made both in the actual achievement on its territory and in the hearts of world Jewry. Palestine, he said, has fired the imagination of world Jewry; is growing by leaps and bounds.

“While Zionists in common with all others have been forced because of the world-wide economic upheaval, to struggle against great odds, we find that Palestine is definitely going forward. In Palestine as a whole there is a feeling of buoyancy, a surge of selfconfidence. The Fifth Levant Fair surpassed all its predecessors in the variety of goods displayed and purchased, and in the number of visitors attracted. The Maccabiad was a unique event which served not merely to demonstrate Jewish prowess on the athletic field, however important that may be, but even more as a welding force for those who came from far and near to participate in and to witness the games, as well as for all sections of the entire Palestinian populace.

“Palestine Potash, Ltd., the Company which holds the concession for extracting the mineral salts of the Dead Sea, is ahead of schedule. The bydroelectric power station of the Palestine Electric Corporation has been placed in operation and is turning the wheels of industry. The laying of the pipe line from the Mosul Oil fields from Mesopotamia is expected to begin next spring and the construction of the huge oil reservoirs of the Irak Petroleum Company in the Haifa Bay area will commence shortly. The Haifa harbor, which when completed will be equal to any part on the Mediterranean, will be ready early in 1933.

Expressing objection to the fact that the Palestinian government only granted 2,000 immigration certificates this year, Mr. Szold declared that the fact that the Palestine Government found that Palestine could use even that many workers is indicative of the possibilities of Palestine. No other country could find room for these workers now.

“Private investment and middle class immigration to Palestine”, Mr. Szold said, “is rapidly becoming a leading, if not the leading force in the building up of the Jewish Homeland, During the past seven months a number of American Jewish immigrants, double that of any corresponding period in the past, left for settlement in Palestine. The number of tourists during the same period was three or four times as previously.”

The development of Palestine, Mr. Szold continued, is now not only bringing a class of middle-class immigrants into Palestine from the more westernized countries, such as the United States and Germany, but is attracting American capital to the opportunities for profit in business investment there To further this type of development, Mr. Szold declared, the American Economic Committee for Palestine had been organized and now lists among its membership many leading figures of American industrial life.

The Zionist Organization itself, Mr. Szold said, along with all the affiliated bodies, had suffered a decline of income during the past year. But this was not to be unexpected, in view of present economic conditions. It is, however, a fact of universal significance that the membership has not declined nearly as severely as that of other organizations.

Bringing greetings from the World Zionist Organization, Emanuel Neumann, member of the Executive of the Jewish Agency and the Zionist Organization who recently returned from a six month’s stay in Palestine, declared that the friction between Arab and Jew did not loom so important in Palestine as reports would lead to believe. “When I asked the Jews of Palestine if they felt safe there, they replied: “Is it so safe in America? Is it so safe to walk the streets of Chicago.”

NEUMANN DISPELS RUMORS HE SEEKS LEADERSHIP

Announcing that he would soon depart for Europe to attend the Actions Committee meeting and that he would remain abroad in connection with his duties as American member of the World Zionist Executive until the Zionist Congress next year, Emanuel Neumann dispelled the rumors that he was seeking the leadership of the Zionist Organization here.

Mr. Neumann touched on the leading factors with which Palestine was compelled to contend since the 17th World Congress last year, First, he listed the ability of the Zionist Organization to survive the most severe crisis in its history and to preserve its integrity “despite violent differences which had threatened to disrupt it.” Secondly, the ability to cope with the difficult financial problems. “It is cause for satisfaction,” he declared,” that the credit of the Zionist Organization and of the Jewish Agency has been sustained.”

He paid tribute to Dr. Chaim Weizmann and to Nahum Sokolow for their splendid service in South Africa and America respectively. “The gloomy intimidation,” he declared, “that the new coalition executive would destroy the political status of the Jewish Agency or lend itself to fatal compromise inlvoving the fundamentals of Zionism, have turned out to be unfounded.

“Palestine,” he added, “can absorb today many thousands of settlers of means and industrial or business experience who cannot only live there comfortabably and happily, but can contribute enormously to its future greatness and prosperity.”

The Convention was opened by Louis P. Rocker, New York, Chairman of the Arrangements’ Committee. Rabbi Max D. Klein, Chairman of the Philadelphia District, welcomed the delegates on behalf of the local community.

A cable was read from Nahum Sokolow, President of the World Zionist Organization of the Jewish Agency, congratulating the Convention and calling upon the Jews of America to carry on in the same spirit as has characterized their work in the past.

GOLDBERG REPORTS ON PLAN AND SCOPE

The Sunday afternoon session was given over to a consideration of the plan and scope of the organization for the coming year, The discussion was lead by Abraham Goldberg, Chairman of the Committee appointed for that purpose.

In his address Mr. Goldberg analyzed the various factors that brought about a shrinkage in the membership of the Zionist Organization. Among these he listed the stoppage of immigration. Through this channel, he said, thousands of Zionists were added to the American membership without any effort. Then, too, he said, there are tens of thousands of Jews in America who contribute regularly to one or more of the Palestine funds who consider themselves Zionists but who have never taken the trouble to affiliate themselves with the parent body of all Zionist endeavor by the payment of dues. These factors, Mr. Goldberg declared, should be given serious consideration in the formulation of membership plans for the coming year.

Nelson Ruttenberg was of the opinion that if the Zionist membership dues were reduced from $6.00 per annum to $2.00 per annum the membership might be increased to possibly fifty thousand.

Others participating in the discussion included Rabbi Elias Margolis, Mt. Vernon, N. Y., Rabbi Victor Epstein, Kingston, N. Y., Menahum Ribalow, Jacob Dehaas, A. Spicehandler and Mendel Fisher.

In response to a plea by Louis Lipsky at a luncheon on behalf of the American Palcstine Campaign, of which he is chairman, the following cities presented checks: New York City, $13,591; Chicago, $4,000; Philadelphia, $2,500; Boston, $1,500; Bridgeport, Conn, $1,000; Baltimore, $716; Detroit, $1,948; Omaha, $500; Perth Amboy, $500, and other amounts totaling $26,000.

Emphasizing what he characterized as the decline of American Jewry, Maurice Samuel, author and publicist, pointed to the fact that in one generation four million Jews built up what looked like the most powerful Jewish community in history. In one depression this community was laid almost in ruins. American Jewry today, he said, is almost back where it was thirty years ago.

PALESTINE IS ONLY JEWISH COMMUNITY SHOWING PROGRESS

Continuing, Mr. Samuel said: “Today there is only one Jewish community which represents the spirit of progress and that is in Palestine. While everywhere else the problem is to rescue something from ruin, to hold onto the remnant of positions, Palestine Jewry-which has grown from 70,000 to 200,000 in fifteen years, marches continuously forward. Palestine is steadily becoming the focus of attention for the whole Near-Eastcrn world. The Palestine Levant Fair of last spring was the most important incident in the eastern Mediterrancean; the Maccabiad, or Jewish Olympics, was the first modern thing of its kind in that part of the world,” he asserted.

WISE PLEADS FOR CONGRESS IDEA

Following an impassioned plea by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise and a clear-cut exposition of the attitude of World Zionism to a World Jewish Congress a resolution was unanimously adopted at Monday afternoon’s session, approving the convening of the preliminary world Jewish Conference in Gencva and authorizing the Conventing of the preliminary world Jewish Conference in Geneva and authorizing the convention to elect eight delegates as its representatives. The resolutions were submitted by Robert M. Bernstein, Philadelphia, on behalf of a special committee of twenty-two which spent many hours in in formulation and phraseology.

Rabbi Wise was called upon by Judge Wm. M. Lewis, the presiding officer, to move the adoption of the resolution. In doing so, Rabbi Wise pointed to the American Jewish Congress as one of the greatest achievements of American Zionism in the last twenty years. He defined Zionism as the will of the Jewish people to live and told how deeply moved the late Lord Arthur J. Balfour was when he notified him that four hundred thousand Jewish electors had through the American Jewish Congress resolved with unanimity that Great Butam should be asked to take the trusteeship for a Jewish Palestine. The American Jewish Congress, he added, had no small part in bringing about the acceptance of the Mandate by Great Britain. Upon the matter of minority rights, he said, this could not have been achieved if five or ten people went to the President of the United States with their request. Such practice might have been effective before the War, but not in the new day after the War, We were affective, he exclaimed, because we spoke with the authority of the Jewish people. Characterizing himself “as an old Zionist,” he mentioned that “thirty-four years ago, this day I had a part in the founding of the American Zionist Federation in the city of New York.”

“Schnorring,” he said, “is no more Zionism than Joint Relief means totality of Jewishness.” Returning to the Congress idea, he declared, “I go to Geneva to learn, to hear, to ask questions. The discussion as to when and how the Jewish Congress shall be called into being must be reached not by us but by the Jewries of the world and above all by the Jewries of Central and Eastern Europe. If the Zionist movement and the Zionist Congress of 1897 were needed in the same way, it cannot and will not be long before the Jews reach the decision that they will not be governed by the counsel of timidity and fcar.” He made it clear he is going to Geneva with an open mind and that he does not yet know whether he will vote for a World Jewish Congress.

Drawing an analogy from the Passover Holiday, he exclaimed, “Should we give up Passover because some Christians accuse us of ritual murder? I say to you, trust the Jewish people. Be not afraid. The Jewish people is equal to any task, to any burden, to any hope.”

LIPSKY SCORES TACTLESSNESS

Rising to second the adoption of the resolution, Louis Lipsky outlined the motives that impelled the early leaders of the Congress movement. Coming down to more recent developments, he said, “had there been more care and tact, much of the acrimony would have been avoided.” He cautioned “that every precaution be taken against premature decisions which may become prejudices.”

The Zionist Organization, however, he said, must not reckon with personalities and therefore moved the adoption of the resolution which was passed unanimously.

The complete text of the resolution follows:

Whereas the Zionist Organization of America was largely instrumental in the founding of the American Jewish Congress and has continued to be a constituent part thereof participating in its activities and its development, and;

Whereas the Zionist Organization of America in Convention assembled recognizes the urgent need for the consideration of and common action on the grave problems facing the Jewish people,

Be It Therefore Resolved by this Convention that the Zionist Organization of America participate in the preliminary World Jewish Conference in Geneva, which is to consider the question of a World Jewish Congress, and

Be It Further Resolved that this Convention of the Zionist Organization of America elect eight delegates to represent it at the preliminary World Jewish Conference in Geneva, in August.”

The greater part of the morning was given over to a meeting of various Committees with the result that the morning session was not opened till noon and lasted one hour.

RUTTENBERG REVIEWS NATIONAL FUND WORK

Speaking on behalf of the Jewish National Fund, Nelson Ruttenberg reviewed the results of the past year, reporting an income of $215,000. Judge Mack spoke of the latest venture of the Jewish National Fund in setting aside the extra area in the Plain of Esdraelon for the planting of a forest in memory of George Washington and called upon the Jews of the United States to participate in this tribute to the father of their country.

Several hundred delegates and visitors attended the Avukah luncheon which was addressed by Rabbi Samuel Bumenfield, Chicago, who reported the formation of eight new chapters, during the past year, Emanuel Neumann and James Waterman Wise. Max Rhoade, Washington, was Chairman and toastmaster of the luncheon.

HISTADRUTH CONFERENCE

Simultaneously with the Avukah luncheon there was a conference on behalf of the Histadruth in which quite a number of delegates and visitors participated. A. Hamlin presided and addresses were delivered by Zalman Rubashov, Zvei Judah, Dr. Alkov and Judah Lapison, Mr. Rubashov, as well as the other speakers, stressed the constructive work being done by Histadruth and called for greater interest on the part of American Jewry.

The greater part of the afternoon session was given over to the adoption of resolutions. Membership dues hereafter will be three dollars and six dollars per annum. Of the former fifty cents is to go to the district and of the latter two dollars to the district. The new administrative committee was urged to establish districts throughout the country.

Louis P. Rocker, Chairman of the Finance Committee, called upon the Zionists of America not to spare shoe leather in their effort to obtain Zionist membership.

Other resolutions included thanks to Robert Szold for his splendid service during the past year; the participation in the 1933 World Fair to be held in Chicago; requesting American section of Jewish Agency to include in its budget a provision for the carrying out of a colonization plan for the Jewish Legionnaires; encouragement of Jewish youth movement; lend assistance in the work of encouraging athletic development among Jewish youth of Palestine; expressing affection for Louis Lipsky; felicitating Leo Wolfson on his fiftieth birthday anniversary; recognizing the devotion and enthusiasm of Nathan Straus, Jr.

The establishment of Economic Information Bureaus in New York and Palestine was announced by Israel B. Brodie, Chairman of the American Economic Committee for Palestine as aids to the sound development of business projects in Palestine. The American Economic Committee for Palestine, Mr. Brodie stated, opened this economic information service two months ago in order to make available to the public the authoritative data directly and indirectly affecting the economic life of Palestine. The bureaus possess some 800 carefully indexed documents, reports and articles which are used in answering the many and varied questions about life, livelihoodmaking and investments which the bureaus are constantly receiving. The general services of both bureaus are free of charge to the general public.

ROTHENBERG ACCEPTS

Zionist sentiment is not sufficient it must be translated into will, Morris Rothenberg, newly elected President of the Zionist Organization of America, declared in his address accepting the office to which he was unanimously elected.

Introduced by Robert Szold, the retiring chief of the Zionist organization as the “unanimous choice of Zionists”, Mr. Rothenberg briefly surveyed the achievements of Zionists and the difficulties facing the Organization.

Mr. Rothenberg voiced a warning that the very success of Zionism was militating against the Zionist Organization. “Many Zionists now feel that it is not necessary for them to be members of the Zionist Organization to show their Zionist fealty. In former days, every Zionist revealed his allegiance by membership in the Zionist Organization. Today, many feel that they can still be loyal Zionists and not belong to the Zionist Organization. They do not see that the great purposive, directing agency of the Zionist idea is the Zionist Organization. Pro-Zionist sentiment alone is impotent. It must be translated into reality-and the engine that transforms this sympathy into will is the Zionist Organization.”

“The Zionist Organization”, continues Mr. Rothenberg “looks back to a history of a mere 35 years. What has been accomplished in that brief space of time? We have had our philosophy accepted-we have had our claims to Palestine recognized internationally by the governments of the world. We have brought to Palestine tens of thousands of Jews, and have developed a great Yishub there. We have turned Hebrew from a dead tongue to a living language. We have built a university, which we hope will some day take its place among the great academies of learning in the world. We have planted colonieslaid the foundations for a whole national existence. Most of this has in reality been accomplished not in 35 but in the last 12 years, since the commencement of the great immigration to Palestine.”

The Z. O. A. President warned the delegates against the temptations of assuming that the success of an Organization was entirely dependent on its leadership. “When at the end of a year, we shall come together, and you shall ask me what I have done for the Organization, I shall ask you-what you have done. There are certain things which the National Office can do but essentially the strength or weakness of the Organization is dependent upon the membership as a whole. I must have your fullest cooperation.”

RUBASHOV IN STIRRING PLEA

The closing address of the session was delivered by Zalman Rubashov, associate editor of the “Davar,” Palestine labor organ, now in this country in the interests of Palestine Jewish Labor Federation.

Mr. Rubashov made an impassioned plea for a unity of effort in behalf of Jewish colonization in Palestine and emphasized the great importance of the role which the American Zionist Organization must and can play in the destines of the Jewish National Homeland.

He referred to the report of Lewis French, Palestine Land Commissioner, whose recommendations, he pointed out, may do harm to Jewish aspirations. In this connection, too, he said, the American organization can play a decisive role.

He called for an intensification of Jewish colonization on Jewish National Fund Land, not yet cultivated, and urged also the employment of Jews on land colonized by private initiative.