Churchill Declares He Will Not “desert” Zionism; Urges Anglo-american Trusteeship

Declaring that he is not one to desert a great historic cause, Winston Churchill gave assurance that he has always been a Zionist and he is still a Zionist, Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, president of the Zionist Organization of America, disclosed today following a conversation he had with the British war-time Premier on the eve of his return to England.

Speaking before the members of the national executive of the ZOA, Dr. Silver, who was presented to Churchill by Bernard Baruch, reported that the British Conservative leader reaffirmed Lis support of the Jewish National Home in Palestine and free immigration to the fullest absorptive capacity of that country, and favors a joint trusteeship of Great Britain and U.S.A. to bring about this end.

Setting forth his position on Zionism, Churchill stated that he is ready to stand alone on this issue in his own party, if necessary. He recalled that he was one of those who backed the Balfour Declaration and that he still stands by the commitments contained in that historic pledge to the Jewish people. He referred time and again to the achievements of the Jews in Palestine who he said, have made a “desert bloom like a rose,” Churchill paid tribute to the role played by members of the Palestine Jewish Brigade, the formation of which he sanctioned during the war.

At the same meeting of the national executive, a call to enroll one million General Zionists as purchasers of the “shekel” which would entitle them to vote in the elections to the forthcoming World Zionist Congress, scheduled to open in Palestine in August, was unanimously ratified. A committee was named for the purpose of officially inviting Hadassah, women’s Zionist Organization of America, to join with the ZOA in a united campaign and in one slate of candidates to the World Zionist Congress.