Ben Gurion and Locker Reveal Their Differences on Future Functions of Jewish Agency

Differences of opinion with regard to the functions of the Jewish Agency developed here today between Premier David Ben Gurion and Berl Locker, chairman of the Jewish Agency, both of whom addressed the World Union Congress of Zionist Laborites which is being held in the Zophit settlement.

Mr. Locker strongly advocated that the work of immigration and absorption of immigrants in Israel should be one of the major functions of the Jewish Agency. He ##urged that a special tax has imposed for this purpose on all Jews, Zionist and non-Zionist alike. He also insisted that the World Zionist Organization must be given the task of conducting Chalutziut education throughout the world, as well as of spreading Israel manufactured products and promoting foreign capital investment for Israel.

Premier Ben Gurion disagreed with Mr. Locker. He stressed that the upbuilding of Israel and the absorption of immigrants and their settlement must be in the hands of the Israel Government, since only government methods can cope with the immensity of the task. He pointed out that the government spent in one year more than the total sum collected in five years by all Zionist funds.

On the other hand, the Premier urged that the World Zionist Organization be “harnessed” to help Israel in the fields of education and of stimulating Jewish capital investment from abroad. He also suggested that the world Zionist movement engage in organizing large-scale tourism to Israel. Laborite members of the Cabinet, including Foreign Minister Sharett and Finance Minister Eliezer Kaplan, participated in the ensuing discussions. Mr. Kaplan said the “immigration of each newcomer costs about $2,800 and it is impossible to impose the entire burden on Israel.” The question of the functions of the Jewish Agency will be one of the major issues under discussion at the forthcoming session of the Zionist Actions Committee, which opens April 19 in Jerusalem.