Rabbi Silver Sees Partition “relegated to Background” by Next, Zionist Congress

THREE PROMINENT AMERICAN DELEGATES TO THE WORLD ZIONIST CONGRESS, ALL OF WHOM VOTED AGAINST NEGOTIATIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN ON THE PROPOSED JEWISH STATE, NEVERTHELESS PLEADED WITH AMERICAN ZIONISTS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE CONGRESS TO SHOW FORBEARANCE, AS THEY RETURNED ABOARD THE NORMANDIE.

STATEMENTS TO THIS EFFECT WERE MADE SEPARATELY BY RABBI ABBA HILLEL SILVER OF CLEVELAND, ROBERT SZOLD OF NEW YORK AND MRS. MOSES P. EPSTEIN OF NEW YORK, NATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT OF HADASSAH, AND LEADER OF ITS CONGRESS DELEGATION. ALL THREE STRESSED THE FACT THAT THE CONGRESS HAD NOT FINALLY ACCEPTED OR REJECTED ANYTHING. IN A PREPARED STATEMENT DR. SILVER DECLARED:

“IT IS QUITE LIKELY THAT BEFORE THE NEXT CONGRESS MEETS THE WHOLE SUBJECT WILL HAVE BEEN LIFTED ON TO ANOTHER PLANE ENTIRELY AND THE IDEA OF PARTITION WILL HAVE BEEN RELEGATED TO THE BACKGROUND. IN THE MEANTIME THE EXECUTIVE OF THE JEWISH AGENCY HAS SEEN AUTHORIZED TO EXPLORE ALSO OTHER AVENUES OF SOLUTION, AND IT IS THE CLEAR DUTY OF EVERY WELL-WISHER OF PALESTINE TO STRENGTHEN THE HANDS OF THE EXECUTIVE IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, AND TO DO NOTHING THAT WILL CONFUSE COUNSEL, DIVIDE OUR FORCES AND TURN THE ATTENTION OF OUR PEOPLE FROM THE UPBUILDING TASKS IN PALESTINE TO FRUITLESS AND DANGEROUS IDEOLOGICAL WRANGLING ABOUT PALESTINE.”

DR. SILVER SAID HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO ENLARGE ON HOW PARTITION MIGHT BE “RELEGATED TO THE BACKGROUND” BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT HAS NOT YET VOTED ON THE PLAN AND THAT ARAB OPPOSITION MIGHT ALSO MOVE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.