55 U.p.a. Directors Adopt Resolution Endorsing Morgenttau, Montor As U.J.A. Heads

A four-point resolution calling on officials of the United Palestine Appeal to withdraw their opposition to the invitation extended by the Jewish Agency executive to Henry Morgenthau Jr. and Henry Montor to lead the 1949 campaign of the United Jewish Appeal was adopted here yesterday at a meeting of the U.P.A. board of directors, which was attended by 55 of the body’s 166 members. The meeting was held at the offices of the Jewish Agency under the chairmanship of Earold J. Goldenberg, of Minneapolis, chairman of the U.P.A. national council, and was addressed by Berl Looker, Jewish Agency executive chairman in Jerusalem, and Israeli Finance Minister Eliezer Kaplan.

The resolution reads: 1. This board accepts unreservedly the decision of the executive of the Jewish Agency with regard to the organization of the U.J.A. for 1949. It expresses its appreciation to the Agency for its efforts in persuading the Hon. Henry Morgenthau Jr. to continue as general chairman of the U.J.A. in 1949 with Henry Montor to conduct the campaign. 2. The board resolves to convey to the U.J.A. rationally and to the local communities of which they are members, the solemn determination of the members of this board to give the utmost in service and sacrifice for a successful U.J.A. campaign. 3. The beard directs the officers of the U.P.A, to implement immediately the decisions of this board, 4. The board assures the executive of the Jewish Agency of its fullest support of all stops that they may take in order to implement its decisions with regard to the U.J.A. campaign for 1949.

Herman L. Weisman, acting national chairman of the United Palestine Appeal, in a statement issued yesterday, asserted that the U.P.A. board of directors meeting was convened “illegally” and said that the resolution adopted by the board was not binding either upon the U.P.A. officers or executive committee.

Weisman’s statement added that the U.P.A. executive committee would try to restore unanimity but did not feel bound to accept “the highly dangerous precedent of accepting orders and decisions from the Jewish Agency, which are grounds and which flout the existing rules and regulations of the World Zionist Congress and the Actions Committee, which safeguard the autonomy and integrity of the U.P.A. as an American fund-raising Institution.”