Z.O.A. Opposition Group Supports U.p.a. Dissidents; U.p.a. Head Cautions Opponents

The executive committee of the Committee for Progressive Zionism, an opposition group within the Zionist Organization of America, has endorsed the program of the Committee of Contributors, a group opposed to the United Palestine Appeal leadership, demanding the reorganization of the U.P.A., “so as to grant equal representation to Jewish communities throughout America with that of existing Zionist organizations,” it was announced today by Charles J. Rosenbloom, chairman of the executive committee of the Committee for Progressive Zionism.

Mr. Rosenbloom reported that the executive committee of the C.P.Z. has called upon the present leadership of the Z.O.A. to reach “an early understanding and amicable agreement with the Committee of Contributors so as not to imperil the success of the 1949 United Jewish Appeal campaign.” In addition to the provision for equal representation to American Jewish communities, the executive committee of the Committee for Progressive Zionism endorsed the demand of the Committee of Contributors that all funds raised in the United States for Israel shall be transmitted directly to Israel.

The announcement from the C.P.Z. emphasized that support of the program of the “Committee of Contributors by the executive committee of the C.P.Z. was voted at a special meeting attended by four former presidents of the Zionist Organization of America. They are Judge Louis E. Levinthal, Louis Lipsky, Robert Szold and Dr. Stephen S. Wise,” the announcement added.

Commenting on the announcement by the Committee for Progressive Zionism, Herman L. Weisman, acting national chairman of the United Palestine Appeal, declared: “At the present moment we are engaged in carrying forward negotiations with representatives of the group referred to, in order to resolve the controversy which has arisen in our movement. It can serve no constructive purpose to aggravate the situation during the period of these negotiations. The present rift harms no one except the tens of thousands of Jewish refugees who look to our help in aiding them towards repatriation and rehabilitation in Israel. These men would be of greater service to the Jewish people if they devoted their efforts to healing the breach rather than broadening it by lending their names to a dissident faction.”