Klutznick Announces Working Rules Adopted by ‘presidents’ Conference’

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations has “set its house in order” by adopting a committee report spelling out the organization’s basic frame of reference, and deciding upon definite rules of procedure. Philip M. Klutznick, president of the Conference, announced here today.

Mr. Klutznick made the announcement after a meeting attended by all leaders of the 17 organizations represented in the Conference. The group, according to Mr. Klutznick, decided that its “frame of reference reaffirms the traditional position that the Conference concern itself with American-Israeli affairs.”

Membership is held by the presidents of organizations that are national in scope, have local constituents, have their own budget, have their own boards and a regular structure. Auxiliary bodies belonging to these national organizations are to be represented on the Conference only through the national body. Under the rules adopted today:

1. Each president belonging to the Conference has the freedom to be instructed by his own organizations as to whether he does or does not have full freedom to vote on issues before the entire Conference.

2. The Conference is to hold two regular, stated meetings annually. In addition, a meeting is to be convened by the chairman when one is requested by at least four of the member-presidents.

3. The Conference is to establish a regular budget, which will be met by the member-organizations on a proportional basis. The group is also to have its own executive director and such staff as it may need from time to time.

Mr. Klutznick announced that today’s meeting authorized him to name a committee to draw up a budget as well as a nominating committee for the naming of the next chairman. He expressed the hope that the nominating committee may be ready to report within about a month, after which he will summon another meeting of the full Conference.

The Conference has been in existence six years. Its constituent organizations are: American Israel Public Affairs Committee, American Jewish Congress, American Trade Union Council for Labor Israel, American Zionist Council, B’nai B’rith, Hadassah – the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Jewish Agency for Israel, Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish War Veterans of the U.S., Labor Zionist Assembly, Mizrachi-Hapoel Hamizrachi, National Community Relations Advisory Council, National Council of Jewish Women, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, United Synagogue of America, and the Zionist Organization of America. In addition to the members, the Conference of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds is an observer in the Conference.