Col. Kisch Defends Zionist Executive in Jerusalem; Replies to Criticism

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

The prolonged period of economic depression through which Palestine is passing, has not unnaturally produced a wave of criticism directed against the Zionist Executive and the activities which it has conducted within the limits of the available resources to remedy the situation and to foster the upbuilding of the country, Colonel Kisch, the head of the Palestine Zionist Executive, states in a letter which he has issued to the Palestinian press.

“Time and the explanations to be given at the next Congress,” he proceeds, “will prove to what extent these criticisms are justified. On the other hand, I find it necessary to reply at once to the unjust and ill-founded charges which have been raised in many quarters against the officials of the Zionist Organization. These charges, which have been repeated in the Jewish press both in Palestine and in the Diaspora, may be summarized as suggesting that the Zionist Executive, and its dependent institutions (Keren Hayesod, Keren Kayemeth, etc.) are greatly overstaffed with idle officials who live in luxury and make no sacrifice for the common interest during the present distress.

“Our staff in Jerusalem comprises 90 officials, of whom 5 receive £E41 to £E50, 4 £E36 to £E40, 16 £E26 to £E35, 18 £E19 to £E 25, 28 £E12 to £E18 and 19 £E8 to £E11.

“This scale of remuneration was fixed by a neutral commission which was set up in April 1922, and whose recommendations in the matter of salaries were at once accepted by the Executive. The scale is moreover to be examined by a new neutral commission appointed by the Executive in accordance with the decision of the last Actions Committee.

“In regard to the suggestion that the staff of the Executive is excessive, for the benefit of those living in the Diaspora who are not well acquainted with the scope of the duties of the Executive, I would mention that this staff has to handle the work of the following departments, Labor Department, Immigration Department, Education Department, Finance Department, Auditing Department, Political Department, Vaad Habriuth and General Secretariat.

“The Executive is responsible for the control of the disbursement of a Congress budget of £500,000 and anyone acquainted with business methods will appreciate the volume of bookkeeping and account which is involved, in order to avoid wastage and possible loss in connection with the expenditure of so vast a sum. Apart from the actual work connected with current expenditure, the Executive deals with a vast amount of work independent of any monetary payments, as for example, correspondence and negotiations with the Government on a great variety of issues, preparation of reports for League of Nations; replying to inquiries from would-be immigrants or to questions connected with trade and industry; Labor questions, etc. Finally it should be mentioned that between one and two hundred persons come to visit the office of the Executive daily for personal information, and have to be received and dealt with by members of the staff.

“I do not hesitate to say, and I can speak with some knowledge of the subject that the staff which we employ is by no means excessive for the work which it has to do, and, which but for the exceptional devotion and zeal of the staff, would not be effectively dealt with without a considerable increase in personnel. I should add that many members of the staff remain extra hours in the office after closing time, while others regularly take office work to their homes to do at night. No overtime salaries or allowances are paid.

“There remains the question of the contribution of the staff to the common welfare, both generally and with reference to the present crisis.

“I would first mention that not only does the whole staff pay Maasor to the Keren Hayesod, but that whenever there is a collection of any national purpose, as for example, inscribing a name in the Golden Book of the Jewish National Fund, the first address to be visited by the collectors is that of the officials, and such appeals invariably meet with a generous response. On the occasion of the recent collection by the Moazath Poalei Jerusalem for the unemployed, unmarried officials of the Palestine Zionist Executive all gave 12 days’ salary to the workers’ relief funds, and married officials gave nine days’ salary. Finally, it is with regret that I have to record that the officials have received no salaries for the last three months, and have loyalty accepted this suspension of what has become due to them. It is a deplorable thing that the Executive has been obliged thus to hold up the salaries earned by the officials by continuous and steady work under conditions of great pressure, and were it not for the devotion of the officials and for their desire to share the distress of their comrades in the field of labor, such suspension of salaries would have produced demoralization, which has happily been entirely absent.

“Instead of attacking and criticizing the officials, Jewish labor in Palestine and supporters of Zionists funds everywhere should appreciate both the work they are doing and the sacrifice they have made. It seems to me that the Jewish public ought to have helped the Executive to create a Civil Service of expert officials devoted to the national aspirations and honored by the public for their labors. It would also be more appropriate and desirable for the critics to adopt the custom prevailing in enlightened countries, namely: not to attack officials directly, but to direct criticism–if there be any–to the elected executive who are responsible to the highest national bodies,” Col Kisch concluded.