Between the Lines

It seems that the American Jewish Congress has changed its mind about holding democratic elections throughout the country on April 28. The sudden call issued yesterday for an extraordinary session of the Congress to be held on March 16 in Philadelphia indicates that not all is well in the ranks of the administrative committee.

This call makes it clear that the Philadelphia gathering “will have to determine the date and the method of the referendum on the World Jewish Congress and the elections to the American Jewish Congress.” Since the date has long been set for the 28th of April, one wonders why a special session should be called now for its determination.

The same question arises as to the methods of the referendum and of the elections. It has long been announced that the elections and the referendum would be carried out on a 100 per cent democratic basis. Even the details of the electoral plan were made public. Why, then, an extraordinary session to again determine this method?

THE PROJECTED REVISION

The sudden decision to call a special session of the Congress in Philadelphia just a few weeks before the democratic elections to the Congress are scheduled to take place is nothing more than an attempt to revise not only the date, but also all the plans for the forthcoming elections.

Sharp differences of opinion have arisen recently in the ranks of the administrative committee of the American Jewish Congress as to whether the principle of democratic elections can altogether be carried out in the United States. While some were of the opinion that this principle should be abolished, others insisted upon carrying it out at all costs.

This issue loomed larger when certain members of the administrative committee realized that the date for the democratic elections was rapidly approaching and that no efficient machinery had yet been prepared to carry out the elections on the fixed date. Furthermore, there are a good many financial complications which could not be avoided if the elections were actually to be held on a democratic basis.

A PLEDGE MODIFIED

Already committed to the pledge that the elections to the American Jewish Congress and the referendum on the World Jewish Congress would be conducted on a democratic principle and on April 28, the administrative committee has seen no other way out than to call the extraordinary session in Philadelphia. It is at this session that the date for the elections will be definitely postponed. It is also at this session that the question whether these elections are to be democratic will come up for serious discussion.

Nobody can tell how many delegates from the provincial cities will attend the session in Philadelphia. One thing is certain, however. This session will be one of the stormiest the American Jewish Congress has ever had. Should the principle of democratic elections be rejected at this session, there will be more than one resignation from the administrative committee of the American Jewish Congress.