American Jewish Congress Issues Detailed Statement on 1927 Conference

Further details of the conference of the Committee of Jewish Delegations held recently in London were contained in a statement issued by the headquarters of the American Jewish Congress on the basis of advices received by them from its European representative, Marvin Lowenthal.

Outlining the purpose of the conference Dr. Leo Motzkin said that the two major problems were: to formulate plans for a general conference next year of all European and American organizations concerned with the defense of Jewish rights, at which conference the present Committee of Jewish Delegations is to be reorganized on as wide and representative a basis as possible; and to discuss the attitude of the European Jewish minorities toward the forthcoming European Minorities Congress to be held in Geneva beginning August 25.

Dr. Motzkin emphasized the importance of the Minorities Congress. The presence of Jewish representatives at the last Congress, he said, proved very beneficial. For the first time, he declared, Jews were treated on a level of equality as a factor in European political life. He showed the possibility of one minority helping another to the advantage of all. To the forthcoming Minorities Congress, Dr. Motzkin said. Jewish delegations may be expected from Poland, Czecho-Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Esthonia and Austria.

Referring to the proposal for a general conference next year Dr. Stephen S. Wise said that the American Jewish Congress had always sought in some way to link itself with the Jews of all lands, and while the Committee of Jewish Delegations has been created as a temporary body, it was a mistake not to realize its permanent value. American Jews, Dr. Wise continued, stand in need of a widely representative European Jewish body for purposes of consultation and cooperation with regard to Jewish problems abroad, and to which to turn in its sometimes misguided attempts at alleviating Jewish conditions in Europe. If such a body had existed two years ago, which could have given authoritative judgment on the Crimea project, there would not be a cloud of misunderstanding hanging over American Jewish life today. As things stand now, Dr. Wise concluded, there is a minimum of readiness on the part of American Jews to take counsel with Europe, and no duly authorized body with whom counsel could be taken.

At the conclusion of the discussion the conference adopted the following proposals made by Deputy Gruenbaum and Senator Ringel.

A general conference should be called in August, 1927, which shall have as its purpose the reorganization and strengthening of the Committee of Jewish Delegations. The Conference should be called jointly in the name of the Committee of Jewish Delegations and the American Jewish Congress.

The Committee should be empowered to take part in the forthcoming Minorities Congress.

The Committee should be emp###ed to continue its work as hereto### until the general conference of ### year.

The call to the General Conference should be signed by Dr. Wise and ### Sherman for the American Jewish ### gress, and Dr. Nahum Sokolow and ### Motzkin for the Committee of De###tions. In addition a general commi### representative of the various Jewish concerned should be appointed to ### range for the conference and like### sign the call, the statement of ### American Jewish Congress declared.Participating in the conference were Dr. Wise, Louis Lipsky, Mrs. Archi### Silverman, Abraham Goldberg ### Marvin Lowenthal, representing ###American Jewish Congress; Dr. ### Motzkin and M. N. Teatskis, res###tively Chairman and Secretary of ### Committee of Jewish Delegations; Se###ators Ringel and Rabbi Rubenst### Deputies Isaac Gruenbaum, Dr. O### Thon, Dr. George Rosenblatt, all of ### land; Deputy Dr. Nurock of La### Rabbi Peretz Chayes of Austria, and Dr. Schmarya Levin of Palestine.Dr. Wise and Dr. Motzkin president.