Conference of Displaced Jews in Munich Hears Reports on Palestine and United States

An eye-witness account of the “illegal” lending of 200 Jewish immigrants in Palestine last December 26 was given today to the conference of displaced Jews meeting here, by Ruth Kluger of the Jewish Agency, who had accompanied the transport to Palestine.

Mrs. Kluger also described the riots in Tripoli several months ago in which over 100 Jews were killed and several thousand rendered homeless and penniless. She said that British officers failed to take steps to curb the rioters, until extensive destruction had occurred. The victims, she continued, were housed in camps where they were inadequately taken care of, and were not permitted to establish contact with Palestinian Jewry, which was anxious to assist them.

Joseph Rosenzaft, leader of the Jewish committee at Bergen-Belsen, reported to the conference on his recent visit to the United States and his contacts with Jewish leaders there. Other speakers included representatives of the various camps and Mare Jarblum, who spoke in behalf of French Jewry.

The conference, which is expected to conclude tomorrow, opened yesterday in the ancient city hall of Munich with a thousand persons present, including army and local government representatives, and Jewish leaders. Among those who addressed the meeting were Judge Simon Rifkind, David Ben-Gurion, Lady Reading, Zalman Grinberg, chairman of the Central Committee of Liberated Jews in Bavarians, and Col. A. W. Roffe, representing Lieut. Gen. Lucian Truscott, commander of the U.S. Third Army.

Over the dias of the meeting hall hung a huge banner with the Hebrew inscription: “As long as the heart of Israel beats, Palestine stands.” Most of the speakers stressed that emigration to Palestine was the only solution for the displaced Jews.