Annual elections brought to a close the conference of the Zionist organization here, with Morris Rothenberg, of New York, being re-elected president.
Vice-presidents elected were: Judge William M. Lewis, of Philadelphia; Elihu D. Stone, of Boston; Robert Szold, of New York, and Rabbi Solomon Goldman, of Chicago.
Harry P. Fierst, of New York, was re-elected treasurer, and Morris Margulies, of New York, was re-elected secretary.
The convention went on record as favoring intensive work among Jewish youth. The report of the Zionist Commission on Jewish Youth and Education was adopted. I. Chipkin was chairman of this committee.
WARNS OF WORLD NAZI SPIRIT
Reports delivered yesterday included one on the Jewish press by S. Margoshes, on Hebrew by M. Ribalow, and an address by Robert Szold in which he paid tribute to the American spirit of liberty and Jewish idealism.
Richard E. Gutstadt, secretary of the Anti-Defamation League, yesterday warned the convention that Hitlerism was rampant in all parts of the world. “We are aware of the tragic plight of our 600,000 Jews in Germany,” he declared. “Hitlerism is rampant in all parts of the globe and the utmost vigilance is necessary to stop this vicious propaganda.”
Gutstadt said the league was trying its hardest to seek the restoration of the old American outlook on the Jewish people. He called for the return of the Jews to their age-old ideals, saying that with this return their problems would vanish.
At Monday’s session of the conference administration resolutions calling for an $8,000,000 drive, exclusive of Keren Hayesod contributions, over the next four years for settlement of the dispossessed German Jews in Palestine, were unanimously adopted. Delegates endorsed other resolutions urging the Jewish Agency to act to obtain political and financial support for the League of Nations for settlement of Palestine, as previously outlined by the Zionist Organization of America. Also unanimously adopted was Dr. Chaim Weizmann’s 5,000,000 pound drive for the settlement of 250,000 German Jews in Palestine. An American-Palestine campaign to start the new drive before September was urged by the delegates.
WEIZMANN GETS OVATION
The resolutions were presented by Louis Lipsky and seconded by Abram Goldberg and Elihu Stone, who characterized them as “a restatement and reaffirmation of fundamental Zionism.”
The movement to secure the appointment of American delegates to the World Zionist Congress who were in favor of the election of Dr. Weizmann to the world presidency gained great impetus on Monday as a result of his arrival on the convention scene in connection with Jewish Day. Making a dramatic appearance, unexpected by the delegates, at the morning session, Dr. Weizmann received a prolonged ovation. This ovation was repeated when 2,000 persons crowded the grand ballroom of the Palmer House on Monday evening at a dinner in Dr. Weizmann’s honor. A sum of $125,000 was raised for the American-Palestine campaign, it was announced.
The convention formally opened on Monday morning with welcoming remarks by Max Shulman, chairman of the convention committee. Greetings were extended to delegates by Alderman Jacob Arvey; Jacob Braude, president of the Chicago Zionist Organization; Mrs. Bertha Berkman, president of the Chicago Hadassah; and Rabbi M. Sachs. Rabbi Felix Levy, of Chicago, delivered the invocation. Rabbi Meier Berlin, of the World Mizrachi, gave the opening address.
WEIZMANN WARNINGS
Speaking at the dinner in his honor on Monday evening, Dr. Weizmann warned against the danger of letting the city development of Palestine grow out of proportion to the development of the country. He also warned against overconfidence and against “building the national home on the foundation of the orange.”
Dr. Weizmann declared that German Jews can be settled in Palestine provided they bring the spirit of the Chalutzim with them. “Whether this spirit, born in the ghettoes of Russia and Poland can be found along Unter den Linden, I don’t know,” he said. “A hundred and fifty years of emancipation and assimilation have hollowed out the spirit and heart of a great many Jews. One does not become assimilated with impunity.”
Speakers at Monday afternoon’s session of the convention included I. Meriminsky, Poale Zion leader; Dr. Stephen S. Wise and Emanuel Neumann.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
