Ben-gurion Addresses Scientists’ Parley; Calls for Aid to New Nations

The liberation of peoples and the closing of the economic and spiritual gaps between them with the aid of science and technical know-how will ensure world peace and raise the family of nations to the peak of material prosperity and spiritual advancement, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion declared here today at the opening session of the International Conference on the Role of Science in New States.

Scientists and statesmen from 29 countries, as well as hundreds of guests from Israel and abroad, are attending the conference which is being held in the Chaim Weizmann Memorial Amphitheatre of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Prominent among the guests are Prime Minister B. P. Koirala of Nepal, Deputy Premier Gabriel Lisette of Chad and ministers and government officials from 14 Asian and African states.

Defining the gathering as “a historic event of inestimable importance,” the Premier said that the conference was closely related with “the two most momentous revolutions in the annals of the human race — political and intellectual.” Mr. Ben-Gurion said that “gaining independence is not the end of redemption” but its beginning.

The material and cultural gap between nations should be closed, the Premier asserted. He said that the people of the world must not only be liberated, but must be more or less on the same level in status and in their material and spiritual capacities. It was the duty of the rich and highly developed countries, the Premier stressed, to extend all material and spiritual assistance to wipe out regrettable and dangerous differences between economic and cultural standards.

SAYS AMERICAN AID TO EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ACHIEVED WONDERS

Referring to the integrity of humanity in our days when nations are so closely connected through advanced types of communications, the Premier called on all highly developed nations to assist their fellows whose rights, status and educational opportunities have been restricted for decades and centuries by history.

“They should offer this aid not as charity, but as an obligation of fellow members of the same human family out of equality, comradeship and universal human solidarity to rectify historic wrongs,” Mr. Ben-Gurion declared.

Referring to American aid to the European countries crushed in the Second World War, Mr. Ben-Gurion said that such aid had achieved wonders. He noted, however, that the center of gravity had passed to Asia and Africa, the home of the great majority of the human race.

This aid, the Premier declared, that should give them agriculture and industrial development, better education, housing and health services –material and spiritual progress which these countries need– should be founded on mutual confidence and respect and the utilization of all achievements of humanity and its scientific and technological discoveries in sincere cooperation.

Greeting the participants representing the 14 Asian and African states, as well as those from Europe, Australia, the Philippines and North and South America, the Premier expressed the fervent hope that the deliberations would contribute to the unity of all mankind and speed up progress benefitting every man, woman and child throughout the world without distinction of race, color, class or religion and that the timely and noble aspirations of the conference would be realized.

The more than 100 scientists participating in the conference will discuss subjects relating to atomic energy for peaceful purposes, solar energy, water development in arid lands, health problems and training of scientific personnel for new and underdeveloped countries. The conference, which will last until Aug. 26, is taking place under the auspices of the Weizmann Institute of Science.