Headed by Dr. Stephen S. Wise, Zionist leaders began today to map plans for raising the $3,500,000 quota set for the United Palestine Appeal by the National Conference for Palestine, which closed last night.
The conference adopted a program to facilitate settlement in Palestine of 100,000 oppressed Jews in Germany and Poland, going on record in support of the mission of the British delegation consisting of Sir Herbert Samuel, Lord Bearsted and Simon Marks.
It was said that a major portion of the $3,500,000 to be raised this year by the United Palestine Appeal will be turned over to the German-Jewish emigration program after plans on settlement activities have been agreed upon with the Jewish Agency for Palestine.
An increase from a previous decision to raise $2,500,000, was provided for on receipt of a cabled request from the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Palestine pointing out that the position of Jews in Germany and other European lands had become more critical and more funds were needed.
The conference unanimously adopted a resolution expressing “profound grief on the occasion of the third anniversary of the existence of the National Socialist regime in Germany.” The resolution recorded Jewry’s determination “to continue with unrelenting vigor” ‘resistance to Nazi tyranny and reiterated “the pledge of American Jews to continue to uphold the defensive and self-protective boycott of all Nazi goods and services.”
Another resolution pointed out “the national conference deems it imperative that activities affecting Palestine that will come within the program sponsored by any new body to be created shall be planned jointly with and executed by the Jewish Agency for Palestine.”
A resolution condemning any plan for aiding Jews in Germany which results in strengthening the economic condition of the German Government, submitted by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, was unanimously adopted. The resolution stated “while we are heartily in favor of any proposal concerned with justice and reason for emigration of Jews to Palestine or any other land where refugees may be settled, it is only with the understanding that under no circumstances shall any plan of this nature aid in strengthening the economic condition of the German Reich.”
Seconding the resolution, Louis Lipsky said, “In adopting this resolution I would like to have the record indicate that this conference does not regard the Haavara, which was endorsed by the nineteenth Zionist Congress and which is now operating under the supervision of the Executive of the Jewish Agency, as in any way strengthening the economic position of Germany.
Dr. Wise was elected national chairman of the United Palestine Appeal. Serving with him are national co-chairman Dr. Israel Goldstein, New York; Maurice Levin, New York; Judge William Lewis, Philadelphia; Louis Lipsky, New York; Morris Rothenberg, New York; Rabbi Silver, Cleveland.
Making direct reference to the contention by some groups that German Jews should remain in Germany and should not be urged to emigrate, Lord Bearsted declared, “We shall do no propaganda for emigration in Germany. It is quite unnecessary.” He added, “At an early stage we consulted shades of Jewish opinion in Germany and received a strong impression that the call for emigration would be far in excess of our capacity to supply its demand.”
Lord Bearsted explained the broad outlines of the plan to aid 100,000 Jews to leave Germany during the next four years at an average cost of $150 for each man, woman and child. He also described the functions of the committee to be created, which will probably be known as the Council for German Jewry, and explained its relationship to existing bodies.
“I must tell you once more, no scheme involving the export of German goods has a place in the several schemes which have been discussed,” Lord Bearsted told the conference.
He said that under the proposed plan, from 20,000 to 25,000 Jews could be taken out of Germany in a year, and about half of these could go to Palestine. He declared it was necessary “to avoid doing anything which might be construed as dumping the Jewish population of Germany in any country” and called for orderly and planned emigration. Asserting that a considerable portion of the cost of training and emigration would be found from the funds of Jews in Germany, he stated that this money would have to be supplemented to the extent of $15,000,000 for 100,000 people.
The council to administer this emigration work, Lord Bearsted said, “will have to be small but competent. It will naturally include American representatives, but if it is to function properly, it must be free to act on its own initiative within its somewhat circumscribed sphere. It will not seek to impose decisions, but we have no doubt that its plans for coordination will have to be loyally accepted by all its constituent members. There will have to be give and take and toleration for the other man’s thoughts, ideals and prejudices,” he cautioned and added, “we have been encouraged by our reception in this country.”
James G. McDonald, former League of Nations High Commissioner for German Refugees, sent a message of greeting to the conference lauding Palestine as a haven for refugees.
Urging support of the Appeal drive, Sir Herbert said, “It is clear that some scores of thousands of unhappy victims of oppression can find a refuge only in the ancient homeland of the Jewish race.”
Hitting at those who would block efforts to aid the persecuted Jews, Sir Herbert denied that he and his associates had ever intended to promote the exodus of Jews from Germany “by trying to increase the export from Germany and the sale abroad of German goods.”
President Roosevelt urged the American people to cooperate with the United Palestine Appeal and restated American endorsement of the purpose of a national Jewish home in Palestine in a message read at the opening session of the conference.
He said: “Every American knows of the love of Jews for the land associated with the great beginnings of their history and every Jew must rejoice that this undying loyalty has been crowned by the establishment of a Jewish national home resting upon the sure foundations of justice and well-being for all the residents there-of.
“The American people, which has, by the action of presidents and a joint resolution of Congress, attested its sympathy with the great purpose of a national Jewish home in Palestine will, I am persuaded, be ready to cooperate generously with the United Palestine Appeal, which aims to provide a home for homeless Jews. I confidently hope that the cooperation of the American people will contribute to the further progress of the Holy land, which, I am sure, will continue to give light and leading to all the world.”
Agreeing with Mr. McDonald, Simon Marks said in an address: “Nazi Germany’s anti-Jewish policy is a challenge to the civilization of all countries of the world.”
the program of getting persecuted Jews out of Germany, Mr. Marks said, “has focused the attention of the Jewish and non-Jewish world on the Nazi policy, which threatens the demoralization and exile of hundreds of thousands of human beings.”
“For the general purpose of our scheme,” Mr. Marks explained, “a fund of $15,000,000 is to be raised. European Jewry should provide $5,000,000 of this sum and it is hoped that the remainder of $10,000,000 will be collected in America, which today harbors the largest single Jewish community. We are hopeful that at least 50 per cent of the emigrants will find a home in Palestine and the rest in other countries. In Palestine 30,000 have already established themselves and plans are being devised to make provision for many more.”
If Jewry does not undertake to move Jews out of Germany, Mr. Marks said, the alternative “is a complete breakdown in the structural life of German Jewry, a stampede into neighboring countries, the existence among friendly nations of thousands of wandering, impoverished Jews, the heavy and wasteful costs of relief for refugees, and a direct stimulus to the forces everywhere making for anti-Semitism.”
Dr. Wise declared: “There is no home for homeless Jews except Palestine. England, under the mandate of the League of Nations, is the guardian of the gateway of Palestine. That gate will be opened as widely as Jews will insist that it shall be opened. But the Jewish insistence must not limit itself to speeches but must take the form of increasing the economic absorptive capacity of the land for Jewish immigration.”
Dr. Wise told the conference that President Roosevelt’s message urging cooperation of Americans in efforts to upbuild Palestine and re-affirming the United States’ attitude toward Palestine as the national Jewish homeland “make unnecessary further exploration in Washington” to discover how the United States Government feels toward Palestinian efforts of world Jewry.
He said: “Exploration in Washington” should be directed toward determining what decision may be reached with respect to what the American Government and people can and ought to do in the name of our common civilization in order to stop what seemingly never-ending flow of exiles’ from Germany, the land which “has arranged and indeed reversed the cherished processes of civilization.”
Dr. Wise warned against any efforts to aid Jews in Germany through strengthening the Hitler Government’s financial position.
“We refuse to act as Hitler’s commercial agents or travellers,” he declared. “Not only do we reject out of hand with scorn and contempt any and every proposal which would ensure the security of some Jews through the shame of all the Jews, but we declare that if any attempt be made in America or in England or in any land, to facilitate the exodus of Germans through strengthening and reinforcing the financial status of Nazi Germany, we will do what men can do in order to wreck and destroy such proposals.”
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.
