American Jewish Committee Asks Britain for Prompt Solution of Palestine Problem

The American Jewish Committee at its 40th annual meeting today adopted a resolution asking the British Government “to initiate a prompt and satisfactory solution of the ultimate problem of government in Palestine, with complete fairness to Arabs and Jews alike, which will guarantee to every Palestinian complete political equality.”

The resolution emphasizes that “if such a solution is not promptly achieved, there should nevertheless be immediate recognition of the need and right of Jewish immigration and land purchase.” The resolution urges that “a way be found for participation in conference by all interested groups.” It requests the United States Government to continue its “sympathetic cooperation for the attainment of these objectives.” It urges upon all parties “the absolute necessity of reasonable negotiations based upon considerations of justice and mutual forbearance.”

Condemning “all acts of terrorism and violence” in Palestine, the resolution calls upon Jews everywhere to refrain from supporting in any way all such acts. At the same time, the resolution calls upon Britain to immediately abrogate the White Paper, pointing out that this document “is inconsistent not only with the best British tradition under which Jewish immigration and land purchase were permitted, but also with Great Britain’s trust obligations.”

ADMISSION OF DP’S TO U.S. URGED; ARMY LAUDED FOR RECEIVING REFUGEES

Other resolutions adopted urged the admission of a larger number of displaced persons to the United States and warmly commended the American Military Government in Germany and Austria for its treatment of Jewish refugees. They recommended that more shipping be provided by the U.S. Government to bring displaced persons to this country, and that consular service be opened in the British, French and Russian occupation zones and also in Poland.

Resolutions were also adopted containing recommendations on the inclusion in the Peace Treaty with Germany of provisions concerning restitution of property looted by the Nazis from Jews and guaranteeing basic human rights and freedoms.

Judge Joseph M. Proskauer was re-elected president of the American Jewish Committee and Jacob Blaustein was re-elected chairman of the executive committee. Otheres re-elected are: Alan M. Strook, vice-chairman of the executive committee; David Sher, chairman of the administrative committee; Dr. John Slawson, executive vice-president; Nathan Orbach, treasurer, and Albert H. Lieberman, associate treasurer. Edward A. Norman was elected secretary.

PROSKAUER DEFINES COMMITTEE’S STAND ON THE PALESTINE QUESTION

The stand of the Committee on the Palestine question was amplified by Judge Proskauer at the closing session of the meeting, which was open to the public. “The American Jewish Committee,” he said, “has never sacrificed realities to the purely political concept of Palestine as a Jewish state; but it has never ceased to voice its deep sympathy with the desires of the Jews who wished to settle in Palestine. It has supported the Balfour Declaration as thus interpreted under the leadership of Louis Marshall. It was instrumental in the creation of the Jewish Agency for Palestine. It has joined Jews of every shade of opinion on the Palestine question in opposition to the British White Paper.

“And the Committee is today, in the tense crisis which has been created with regard to Palestine, struggling to attain a fair solution – always remembering that its main objective is to shelter and develop human lives in Palestine, as well as to open the doors of the world to reasonalbe Jewish immigration from lands of bigotry and intolerance.”

Detailing the Committee’s fight against subversive forces and bigotry in the United States Judge Proskauer noted that it had led in the exposure of the spurious “Protocols of the Elders of Zion;” helped overthrow the Ku Klux Klan; received Henry Ford’s retraction and apology for the charges made during his anti-Semitic campaign; and initiated scientific and fact-finding studies of bigotry in America. Judge Proskauer asserted that the study of peace problems sponsored by the Committee, and made by a committee of distinguished Jewish scholars in this country and the briefs submitted, “have been acclaimed by statesman of the world as second to none in clarity and persuasiveness.”

ORGANIZED ANTI-SEMITISM DID NOT THRIVE IN 1946, BLAUSTEIN REPORTS

Jacob Blaustein, reporting in behalf of the executive committee on the activities of the organization during the past year, emphasized that although the period was marked by considerable unrest, resulting in a major political overturn and by grave tensions between management and labor, organized anti-Semitism was unable to make headway. Avowedly anti-Semitic organizations are now fewer than in pre-war years, and smaller in membership, he stated. “The public, the press, and law-enforcement officials are thoroughly alert to the menace of domestic hate movements, due in good measure to the activities of the American Jewish Committee and other prodemocratic organizations,” he declared.

“Encouraging as this is,” Mr. Blaustein continued, “we must not allow ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security. What is true today may not, with changed economic conditions, be true tomorrow. We dare not relax our vigilance, and the American Jewish Committee must continue to keep closely informed of anti-Semitic movements. Moreover, we must not gauge the Jewish position in this country solely by the evidence of organized anti-Semitism. Latent anti-Semitism must also be reckoned with.”

Mr. Blaustein also discussed the activities of the American Jewish Committee in foreign affairs, especially at the San Francisco Conference of the United Nations and at the Paris Peace Conference. He also revealed that the American military authorities in Germany have agreed to approve a proposal sponsored by the American Jewish Committee that an agency be created to act as trustee both of the property of heirless Jews and of Jewish communal property in the U.S. zone in Germany.

Dr. John Slawson, executive vice-president of the Committee revealed that the organization is now sponsoring important scientific studies in a number of major universities to analyze prejudices and show how they are formed. “The studies,” he said, “treat bigotry as an emotional illness and will endeavor to show its true nature in clinical terms.

Dr. Slawson also discussed American Jewish Committee projects aimed at enriching Jewish culture in America, providing authentic information on Jewish life throughout the world, exploring methods of American Jewish education and strengthening the spiritual resources of the Jews in post-war Europe.

The closing session was addressed late in the evening by Truman Arnold, former Assistant U.S. Attorney General, who spoke on economics and its effect on group tensions. Dr. Max Gottschalk, director of the Foreign Affairs Department of the American Jewish Committee, reported on the situation of the Jews in various countries in Europe. Other speakers included David Sher and Prof. Sidney Hook. Former Governor Herbert H. Lehman paid tribute to the late Jacob H. Schiff, the 100th anniversary of whose birth was celebrated this month.