German Jewry addressed an appeal to the World Zionist Congress today make possible entry of 93,000 specially trained Reich Jews to Palestine. The appeal read by the leader of the German delegation to the Congress vas apparently prepared in Berlin with the knowledge of the Nazi authorities. It emphasized that German Jewry in its distress did not want philanthropy but expected “national assistance” so that the doors of Palestine might be opened to them.
“We address this appeal to the Congress” the German Zionist said “in the hope that its voice will reach the ears of that power in whose hands rest not only the fate of Palestine but also our fate.”
A dynamic address was delivered during the general debate last night by Dr. Abba Hillel Silver of Cleveland who inveighed against illegal immigration to Palestine and non cooperation with the British Government. The speech made a tremendous impression and is considered the most powerful yet delivered at the Congress. It was noted however that the Laborite faction which constitutes 45 per cent of the Congress conspicuously abstained from applauding.
Dr. Silver prophesied that new proposals on Palestine would be forthcoming before the September session of the League of Nations Council. With the Mandates Commission’s report in the possession of the entire world he said. “it is inconceivable that Britain will go to the League and ask for final approval of the White Paper.”
Declaring that Dr. Chaim Weizmann Zionist president may have erred in the past in being too yielding and trusting toward Britain Rabbi Silver asserted that the White Paper was unrelated to these shortcomings and to any past interpretations of the mandate by the League and by the British Government.
“It is not Weizmann standing today as a discredited leader but MacDonald(Malcolm MacDonald British Colonial Secretary) who stands branded by the Mandates Commission as a destroyer of covenants a violator of pledges, accused of acting willfully and illegally in a matter of life or death to an entire nation.” Dr. silver said.
Describing the British Government’s comments on the Mandates Commission report as “culpably disingenuous contorting truth and logic.” Dr. Silver declared it was inconceivable that Britain would cling indefinitely to a policy which was not endorsed heartily by the Government party rejected by important sections of British public opinion and almost unanimously by the rest of the world.
He warned against any desperate action which would bring the Palestine Jewish community in conflict with the Government. “The hour has not yet come for a final decision,” he said. “We are not yet confronted with that finality which might justify unindicated forms of defiance.”
LABORITES SEEN VEERING TO EXTREMIST VIEW
The Laborite attitude toward Dr. Silver’s address is taken to indicate that the extremist views of David Ben Gurion Palestine labor leader and Zionist Executive chairman with regard to fighting the new British policy are gaining more adherents among the Laborites many of whom during he first days of the Congress backed the views of Moshe Shertok political secretary of the Jewish Agency who is advocating milder tactics.
Another speaker to come out against the Ben Gurion viewpoint was Prof. Selig Brodetsky British member of the Zionist Executive, who urged moderation and warned against “harmful slogans.” He praised American Jewry for its assistance in fighting the new British policy on Palestine and predicted that America would in the near future play an even more important role in the mobilization of forces for the fight against the White Paper.
On the question of non cooperation Prof. Brodetsky advised the Congress to set up a committee to study the advantages and disadvantages of such a policy toward the British Government. He agreed however that in the matters of immigration and of introducing constitutional reform in Palestine the Jews had no other course but non-cooperation.
Declaring the believed the White Paper doomed to failure because it could never be carried out in a country where the Jews constituted 99 per cent of the economic forces Prof. Brodetsky advised that instead of extreme measures the White Paper should be combated by economic strengthening of the Palestine Jewish Community. He also advocated a concentrated campaign to widen the ranks of Britons who are opposed to the White Paper as a breach of faith.
The American Laborite delegation announced it would support the Ben Gurion for resistance to the White Paper.
3 TENDENCIES REVEALED AT LABORITE PARLEY
While religious delegates attended Sabbath services in the Old Synagogue laborites conferred all day yesterday debating Friday’s address by Ben Gurion which urged what may be considered as extreme action to combat the British policy. The debate revealed three tendencies among the laborites: (1) those sharing Ben Gurion’s views (2) a group led by Shertok which favored a milder course and (3) those led by Eliezer Kaplan who supported the moderate views expressed by Ur Weizmann.
Dr. Solomon Goldman president of the Zionist Organization of America, speaking at the Friday plenary session denounced violence in Palestine as contrary to Jewish religion and ethics. He made a strong plea for abandonment of party strife in Palestine and urged broadening of he Zionist Executive to make it more representative of all elements in the Zionist movement Discussing Holy Land problems Dr. Goldman drew attention to the decreasing number of Jewish birth and urged measures to check the decline in the birthrate.
The Rev. Maurice L. Perlzweing of England urged a radical reorganization of the machinery of the Zionist organization to equip it for the struggle against the new British policy. He said the report of the Mandates Commission a majority of which had found the White Paper in violation of the mandate had delivered a “shattering blow” against the British policy. “The moment the decision of the Mandates Commission was published our political situation in England materially improved,” he declared.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
