Aid for Palestine Pledged at Parley

Leaders of American Jewry, meeting here this afternoon at the opening session of the two-day National Conference for Palestine, held concurrently with the nationwide celebration of Palestine Day, pledged themselves to intensive efforts for the upbuilding of Palestine as a land of migration for the Jews of the world.

A message from President Roosevelt, expressing his approval of establishment of Palestine as a Jewish Homeland, was read before the more than 1,500 delegates from national organizations and Jewish communities throughout the country, who heard speakers declare for unity of action and promise the fullest cooperation of the groups they represented.

SUPPORT OF 2,000,000 JEWS

Heralded by the Zionist Organization of America, which initiated it, as “the most representative conference of Jews ever held in America,” the gathering is said to have the support of more than 2,000,000 Jews in the United States.

Louis Lipsky, who presided this afternoon, made a plea for establishing a planned economy in Palestine and recommended creation of a federation of all interests in the Holy Land which under the auspices of the Jewish Agency would guide the country’s future economic development.

He urged a survey of capital required for future development of the land, and a study of Palestine’s natural resources. From such studies, he said, estimates of Palestine’s immigration absorptive capacity could be determined.

ROTHENBERG PRESIDES

“A planned economy is required as a test for absorptive capacity,” he said.

Morris Rothenberg, president of the Zionist Organization of America, presided at tonight’s banquet at the Mayflower Hotel. Business sessions will be held tomorrow, when resolutions will be adopted and the program of future action adopted by the conference will be announced.

Speaking for the non-Jews of the country at this afternoon’s ses-