Congress Rift Report Denied by Goldberg

The report of dissension allegedly existing in the administrative committee of the American Jewish Congress was denied yesterday by Joshua L. Goldberg, national secretary of the Congress, in a statement issued to the Jewish Daily Bulletin in connection with the extraordinary convention called by the Congress for March 16 and 17 in Philadelphia.

“There is no dissension within the administrative committee of the American Jewish Congress,” the statement says. “The extraordinary onvention has been called in the light of the serious problems which have deepened in Europe and in this country, and out of the feeling of responsibility to the Jews of this country and abroad.

“The creation of a central mandated body, which shall have the right to speak and act in behalf of the Jews, is an undertaking to which the American Jewish Congress is committed. The view of this administrative committee is that this central authoritative body shall be established by direct democratic vote.

“This view is concurred in by the majority of Jews residing in the metropolitan areas. But conditions are different in the provinces, according to direct advices received by the American Jewish Congress.

HINTERLAND PREJUDICE

“The years of the depression have given rise to anti-democratic movements, many of them anti-Semitic in form, whose effect is most keenly felt in the provinces. While there is an increasing comprehension of the need for the reorganization of Jewish life on a democratic basis and the establishment of central Jewish representation, there is a divergence of opinion as to the methods to be employed to achieve democracy.

“Rather than assume the autocratic attitude that a small body of men can presume to decide for the Jews of America what action to take on major problems, the administrative committee has decided to refer all these problems to an extraordinary convention for decision. Upon this convention will devolve the responsibility of giving direction to the movement to create an enlarged American Jewish Congress.

WANTS FULL DISCUSSION

“The administrative committee, as a whole, is of the opinion that it is much more important that these issues be thoroughly discussed and public opinion be educated than that they should be decided on any particular date. This is made quite clear in our official announcement which, curiously enough, appeared in the colums of the Jewish Daily Bulletin in two versions, both at variance with the facts.

“It is proposed that ‘at the extraordinary session of the Congress, to be held in Philadelphia on March 16 and 17, the date and the method of the referendum and election shall be determined, the plans for democratic elections as formulated by the National Board of Elections shall be presented for ratification, the problems involved in the World Jewish Congress and other important questions shall be considered.’

“This is the most concrete demonstration that the American Jewish Congress can offer of its intention to adhere to the principle of democracy. It is regrettable that an organ like the Jewish Daily Bulletin, which occupies the unique position of being the only Jewish daily in English, should adopt on major issues the kind of a partisan, haphazard and distorted attitude which is apparent in your presentation of the announcement of the Philadelphia convention,” the statement concludes.