Failing to bring unity into the Zionist Organization, the Zionist Actions Committee, which opened its conference March 27, brought its final session to a close at 4 o’clock this morning after a stormy debate which was climaxed with the announcement by the Revisionists that they will not participate in the nineteenth World Zionist Congress.
After making this announcement, the Revisionist members of the Actions Committee left the hall and did not take part in the closing ceremony.
HOPES FOR RECONSIDERATION
The session of the Actions Committee was closed by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, who expressed the hope that the announcement of the Revisionists is not their final word, since all parties have tried to meet the Revisionist demands, and will continue trying in the desire to see the elections to the Zionist Congress pass peacefully.
Prior to walking out of the Actions Committee session, the Revisionists read a declaration explaining their reasons for not participating in the next Congress. The declaration says that the majority of the Actions Committee has not shown any inclination to reach an understanding with the Revisionists, although the Revisionists came to the present session of the Actions Committee with a desire to unify all forces in Zionism on the basis of a common program for common activity emanating from deep Zionist patriotism.
SUPPORTED BY 5 GROUPS
“Our desire was confronted with mechanical dictatorship of the governing party, which refused a round-table conference for reaching a peaceful understanding, despite the support of five Zionist parties,” the declaration says.
After the Revisionists concluded their announcement, statements were also read by Ben-Zion Mossenson in behalf of the General Zionists, by Rabbi Meier Berlin in behalf of the Mizrachi, and by Berl Katznelson in behalf of the Laborites.
The crisis at the Actions Committee which led to the walking out of the Revisionists, came after the General Zionists had failed in their attempt to establish a coalition of all parties on the basis of party discipline. This was refused by the Revisionists. The Mizrachi leaders then made a motion that the question of discipline be adjourned until an understanding is reached with regard to a common Zionist program for extending the Zionist work and for building a
STORMY DEBATE CLIMAXED BY WITHDRAWAL OF REVISIONISTS
coalition of all the movements. This motion was rejected by the Laborites.
NEGOTIATIONS LONG
The intergroup negotiations carried on by the Mizrachi and the General Zionists, with the Revisionists and the Laborites, lasted for many hours. Both the General Zionists and the Mizrachi consider the present break in the Zionist Organization as very serious.
The change in the text of the Shekel, obligating every voter to the next Congress to maintain party discipline, was adopted by the Actions Committee by a vote of thirty-six against thirteen. The Revisionists, the Mizrachi and some of the General Zionists from Eastern Galicia voted in the negative. Other General Zionists from Galicia abstained from voting. Mr. Ben-Gurion and Mr. Ussishkin advocated acceptance of the change.
TRY TO CHECK SPLIT
At three o’clock in the morning, prior to the declaration of the Revisionists, the Mizrachi delegates made a last effort to prevent a split in the Zionist Organization by urging that the question of the change in the Shekel be left to the decision of the next Congress. This proposal was rejected by forty-four votes against nine.
All political resolutions recommended by the political committee were accepted at the closing session of the Actions Committee by all parties, the Revisionists being the only ones voting against them. The resolutions regarding labor and immigration questions were adopted unanimously.
The organization committee approved the granting of the status of Sonderverband (separate union) to the Hashomer Hazair, the left wing of the Histadruth. The same committee rejected the granting of the same privilege to the Judenstaats party, led by Meer Grossman.
The session of the Actions Committee closed in the early morning hours to the tune of Hatkivah, the Zionist hymn.
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