American Jewish Congress Changes Date of Annual Session to May 19-20

The annual session of the American Jewish Congress, originally scheduled to take place in Atlantic City on March 31 and postponed to May 11 and 12, was again postponed to May 19 and 20, the American Jewish Congress announced.

The change of date was made necessary, it was explained, because of the call issued by the Joint Distribution Committee for a conference of the United Jewish Campaign to be held in Chicago on May 11 and 12. A statement issued by the American Jewish Congress read:

“In order to avoid a conflict of interests between the two bodies, members of the American Jewish Congress and of the Joint Distribution Committee, including persons who expect to be delegates to both conventions, talked the matter over with the object of avoiding any difficulties or of giving a wrong impression about any competition between the two bodies.

“In connection with these conversations, Mr. Louis Marshall, in behalf of the American Joint Distribution Committee, had written a letter to Mr. Bernard G. Richards, Executive Secretary of the American Jewish Congress, pointing out that the Chicago Conference had been planned nearly three months ago, that the present deplorable conditions in Eastern Europe made it necessary to enlarge the relief work, and that it would be more favorable to the attendance at each of the two planned conventions, if the date of the Congress Session would be changed.

“This letter was taken up at a special conference of members of the Administrative Committee and of the Budget Campaign Committee, which was held last evening at the home of Mrs. Sol Rosenbloom, Hotel Dorset, and in compliance with Mr. Marshall’s request, and in recognition by the Committee of the urgent need of strengthening the relief work, it was unanimously decided to change the date of the Congress for a week later, namely, May 19-20. Announcement will accordingly be sent out to all delegates and participating central organizations and communities.”