Britain Would Drop Partition, Wise Tells Parley of Palestinians Here

DR. STEPHEN S. WISE, PRESIDENT OF THE ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA, SAID TODAY HE HAD RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM LONDON THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WISHED TO ABANDON THE PALESTINE PARTITION PLAN AND WAS ONLY DETERRED FROM ANNOUNCING THIS BY THE ATTITUDE OF SOME ZIONISTS.

THE STATEMENT WAS MADE TO THE JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY TO CLARIFY REPORTS OF AN ADDRESS HE DELIVERED TO THE SEVENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE FEDERATION OF PALESTINE JEWS IN AMERICA AT THE HOTEL PENNSYLVANIA YESTERDAY. DR. WISE SAID:

“IN A COMMUNICATION RECEIVED BY ME ON FRIDAY FROM LONDON, THE WRITER SAID: ‘THROUGH A VERY GOOD SOURCE I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WISHES TO ABANDON PARTITION AND ONLY THE ATTITUDE OF SOME ZIONISTS IS DETERRING THEM FROM ANNOUNCING THIS. THEY DO NOT WISH TO SEND A NEW COMMISSION TO PALESTINE.'”

DR. WISE ADDED THAT HE COULD NOT REVEAL THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE LETTER BECAUSE IT WAS PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL AND NOT ADDRESSED TO HIM.

BECAUSE OF DR. WISE’S DECLARATION, THE CONFERENCE YESTERDAY TOOK NO ACTION ON A RESOLUTION REGARDING PARTITION. OTHER RESOLUTIONS WERE ADOPTED HAILING THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S DRASTIC ACTION AGAINST PALESTINE TERRORISM AND ASKING THAT THIS POLICY BE CONTINUED UNTIL PEACE IS RESTORED; PROTESTING IMMIGRATION RESTRICTIONS; ASKING THE ZIONIST ORGANIZATION TO HELP SAVE THE CITY OF SAFED FROM RUIN AND RECOMMENDING THAT A CONFERENCE OF ALL ZIONIST GROUPS BE CALLED TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE SALE OF PALESTINIAN GOODS IN THE UNITED STATES.

ISIDORE BENJAMIN, NEW YORK MANUFACTURER, WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION AT THE CLOSING SESSION OF THE TWO-DAY CONFERENCE LAST NIGHT. THE CONFERENCE WAS ATTENDED BY ABOUT 200 DELEGATES FROM MORE THAN 15 STATES. SPEAKERS INCLUDED LEON GELLMAN, AB GOLDBERG AND RABBI I.M. CHARLOP.