AJC Will Postpone Election Date at Special Parley in Philadelphia

The date of the elections to the American Jewish Congress and of the referendum on the World Jewish Congress, originally set for April 28, will definitely be changed, it was learned here yesterday in connection with the extraordinary session of the American Jewish Congress to be held in Philadelphia on March 16.

The Philadelphia convention will not only consider deferring the elections but also the question of whether the elections are to be conducted on a democratic basis. Other immediate problems which confront the American Jewish Congress will be discussed at the Philadelphia gathering.

A statement explaining the reasons for calling the extraordinary session was issued by the administrative committee of the Congress yesterday. The administrative committee, the statement declares, has taken this action “in order to enable the constituents of the Congress to express their views on the electoral plan formulated by the National Board of Elections, which provides for the holding of the regular elections on April 28. In view of the gravity of the issues which the Jews of America will have to decide by their votes, many members of the Administrative Committee have come to the conclusion that ample opportunity should be given to debate these issues in advance

“It is proposed, therefore,” the statement continued, “that at the extraordinary session of the Congress, to be held in Philadelphia on March 16 and 17, the date and the method of the referendum and election shall be determined, the plans for democratic elections as formulated by the National Board of Elections shall be presented for ratification, the problems involved in the World Jewish Congress and other important questions shall be considered.”