With only ten days left to the Presidential election campaign the American Zionist Council today made public the text of statements on Israel issued by Governor Adlai E. Stevenson, Democratic candidate for President, and by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Republican Presidential candidate.
Mr. Stevenson addressed his statement to Louis Lipsky, chairman of the American Zionist Council. Gen. Eisenhower’s statement was addressed to Rabbi Abba Hiliel Silver who had written to the General on Oct. 14, suggesting that the Republican candidate define his views on the subject of Israel. Both candidates affirmed, in their statements, their friendship for Israel.
Following the publication of both declarations, Dr. Silver released the following statement through the national headquarters of the Zionist Organization of American: “The statements on Israel which have been issued by both candidates for the Presidency of the United States serve to strengthen the conviction that the friendship between American and Israel will become even closer and stronger in the months and years to come. Our country’s support for Israel has always been bi-partisan in character, and the declarations made by General Eisenhower and Governor Stevenson have provided striking evidence that this bi-partisan policy will be continued in the future. There is clearly no difference of opinion between the Republican and Democratic parties on the question of friendship and assistance for Israel.”
ISRAEL DESERVES CONTINUED AID OF U.S. GOVERNMENT, STEVENSON SAYS
The text of Gov. Stevenson’s statement, received by the American Zionist Council last Thursday, reads as follows:
“Four and one-half years ago there was born in the Middle East a new democracy, the nation of Israel, the fulfillment of a people’s dream of many centuries. “The friendship of the people of the United States for the new nation of Israel is unquestioned. We may be proud of the fact that President Tzuman made us the first country to recognize Israel, and that he promised his own unstinting help to the new state.
“But words are often cheap, actions come dearer. We may be even prouder that our pledge of aid to Israel has been honored. One hundred and thirty-eight million dollars in grants for the economic strengthening of Israel was voted by the last Congress. In addition, one hundred and thirty-five million dollars in loans have been granted by the Unioted States Export-Import Bank.
“Not only has Israel received the help of our government, she has also benefited from the generosity of our people who have contributed generously to the noble cause of the United Jewish Appeal and who have invested in Israeli bonds.
“Israel both needs and deserves the continued help of our government and our people. Even as an infant nation drawing the first breath of independence, she welcomed into her midst with open arms and a warm heart all her people seeking refuge from tribulation. In four and a half years her population has more than doubled, imposing a burden which few nations in history have had to bear. America would do well to model her own immigration policies after the generosity of the nation of Israel, and we must work toward that end.
“The economy of Israel has been severaly strained. Great sacrifice and stringent discipline have been demanded of her people. Yet they have carried the load willingly. They are living testimony to the strength of democracy.
“We in America are fortunate to be citizens of a democracy endowed with abundant resources and great wealth. Our debt to the ideal of democracy, which we in our time struggled to establish in this country, can be repaid in part if we as a nation and as individuals give of our bounty to lighten the load of a great people struggling to build a firm democracy in their own land.
“The platform of the Democratic Party affirms this. It pledges both continued assistance to Israel so that she may fulfill her humanitarian mission of providing shelter and sanctuary for her homeless Jewish refugees, while strengthening her economic development.
“Just as the goal of our own foreign policy is to bring lasting peace to the world, our goal in the Middle East is to bring about a settled peace through the friendly solution of all its problems. Our platform is founded on a record of action. We will again translate its word into action in the years ahead.”
EISENHOWER FAVORS DIRECT ARAB-ISRAELI PEACE TALKS
Gen. Eisenhower, in his communication to Rabbi Silver, dated October 17, emphasized that he is “in complete and hearty accord with the statement on Israel in the Republican platform.” This, he said, was not a new departure, politically motivated, but one which represented a consistently friendly and cooperative attitude on the part of the Republican Party over a period of many years.
“You will recall,” he pointed out, “how vigorously and effectively Republican Senators and Congressmen, Governors and State Legislators supported the cause which was never viewed by them as a partisan issue, but as one which commended itself to all right-thinking people because of its inherent justice and as the right solution for one of mankind’s grave and pressing problems.
“As Commander of the Allied Armies during the last war, I had the fullest opportunity to observe closely the tragic conditions of the war ravaged and Nazi decimated Jewish communities of Europe. It will be one of the enduring satisfactions of my life that I was privileged to lead the forces of the free world, which finally crushed the brutal regime of Hitler, with its responsibility for all those unspeakable atrocities. Our forces saved the remnant of the Jewish people of Europe for a new life and a new hope in the reborn land of Israel.
“Along with all men of goodwill, I salute the young state and wish it well. I know what great things it has accomplished. I admire the hardihood of its pioneers and the vision and quality of the work of resettlement and reclamation which they are so energetically prosecuting. I also know something of their besetting difficulties and of the problems, both political and economic, which confront them. Foremost among these is that of establishing peace with the Arab world.
“Such a peace would be a boon both to Israel and to the Arab states. Such peace in the Middle East is essential to the free world. Every encouragement should be given to facilitate direct negotiations between the State of Israel and its Arab neighbors whose independence, freedom and prosperity are equally the hope and wish of the American people.
“One of the serious stumbling blocks in the way is the problem of the Arab refugees. In my judgment, both statesmanship and humanity dictate that these unfortunate refugees should, as rapidly as possible, be assisted with adequate means honorably to reintegrate themselves in the neighboring Arab countries wherever their reabsorption in Israel is either not feasible or practical.
“The State of Israel has given every indication of being a progressive democracy which is desirous of cooperating with the free world in defense of human freedom and against totalitarian aggression. It is in the interest of the United States and of all peace loving nations that political and economic aid to establish their own security should be extended to Israel and to all countries in the Middle East which are similarly intentioned, to an extent consistent with a sound over-all mutual aid program,” the statement concluded.
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.
