Delegates to Jewish Congress Shocked by Simpson Report; Adopt Resolution Scoring Great Britain’s Bre

The Administrative Committee of the American Jewish Congress was authorized yesterday at the closing session of the Congress to take such further action with regard to the attitude of the British Government towards the Jewish question in Palestine as the Committee will find necessary.

The Simpson Report and the full text of the statement made by the British Government in connection with this report was a great shock to the over 300 delegates who attended the sessions. The sad news reached the Congress while it was discussing the question of anti-Jewish discrimination in the United States, as evidenced in colleges and in employment. The session was immediately converted into a spontaneous protest gathering against Great Britain.

Many of the delegates sobbed as they listened to the details of the Simpson Report. Tears were seen also in the eyes of the speakers on the platform. Ab. Goldberg broke into tears in the midst of his speech in which he severely criticized the Simpson Report. This report was bitterly condemned from the platform of the Congress by Louis Lipsky, Jacob de Haas. Baruch Zuckerman, Bernard M. Rosenblatt and a number of other leading members of the Congress.

RESOLUTION OF PROTEST

The resolution which the Congress adopted protesting against the British Government’s statement of policy reads:

Whereas at its first session held in December, 1918, the American Jewish Congress, with the utmost faith and confidence in the spirit of fair play and justice of the British people, took the initiative in urging that the trusteeship over Palestine be conferred upon Great Britain in order to secure the establishment of the Jewish National Home to which the British Government, in the Balfour Declaration of November 2, 1917, had pledged itself, and

Whereas in a communication of the British Government to the Government of the United States of America, dated December 29, 1921, assurances were given that the purpose of the Mandate, to wit: the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish people, was the principal concern and interest of the British Government in serving as Mandatory for Palestine, and

Whereas the Congress of the United States by joint resolution in 1922 adopted a unanimous resolution approving of the Balfour Declaration and of the purposes of the British Government in Palestine, and

Whereas the Jews of America, organized a Jewish Legion which fought under General Allenby and aided in the freeing of Palestine from the yoke of Turkish oppression; and continuing in the belief that the British Government was resolved to adhere to the policy to which it was pledged, they thereafter cooperated with the Jews of other countries in the constructive upbuilding of the land by contributing men and money for the establishment of economic, social and cultural institutions in Palestine that inured to the benefit of the whole population, without discrimination as to race or creed, and

Whereas, the British Government during its occupancy under the Mandate, has failed to create the political, economic and administrative conditions essential to facilitate the establishment of the Jewish National Home in Palestine, as pointed out by the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations, which, in severe criticism, directed the attention of the Mandatory Government to its obligations in connection with the Mandate; and

Whereas, the statement of policy issued by the British Government according to press dispatches received today, approved the report of Sir John Hope Simpson, which is biased and contrary to the terms and spirit of the Mandate; therefore

The American Jewish Congress solemnly declares that this statement of policy by the British Government constitutes a repudiation of the solemn pledge given by the British Government to the Jewish people, a violation and breach of the Mandate, which was ratified and sanctioned by the League of Nations and approved by the Government of the United States.

Be it further resolved, that the Administrative Committee of the American Jewish Congress shall convene as soon as possible and take such further action in regard to this resolution as the Committee deems advisable.

Prior to the protest resolution on Palestine the Congress adopted a number of resolutions concerning the Jewish situation in Roumania, Poland, Germany and Soviet Russia. The Congress expressed its condemnation of the discrimination which is being made against the Jewish students in Roumania.

APPEALS TO ROUMANIAN GOVERNMENT

The Congress appealed to the new Roumanian Government to take immediate measures in order to prevent the recurrence of anti-Jewish riots, to bring the guilty in such disturbances to justice, to indemnify the victims, and to carry into effect the international obligation giving the Jews that equality in private and public life to which they are entitled under the law.

The Polish Government was urged, in a resolution adopted by the Congress, to abolish the old Czarist restrictions against the Jews and to take immediate measures to relieve the Jewish population in Poland from the distress which it is suffering.

PROTESTS SOVIET PERSECUTION

A resolution expressing deep concern over the recent anti-Semitic outbreaks in Germany was also adopted by the Congress. The resolution expresses confidence in the power and zeal of the German Government to suppress these unwarranted attacks upon the German Jews.

The Congress also adopted a resolution protesting against Soviet Russia for persecuting Zionism and religion.

Bernard S. Deutsch was re-elected President of the Congress; Dr. Stephen S. Wise was unanimously elected Honorary President. The other officers elected are:

Vice-presidents, Nathan D. Perlman, Robert Szold, Carl Sherman, Mrs. Archibald Silverman, Judge Wm. M. Lewis, Baruch Zuckerman; chairman, executive committee, Dr. Joseph Tenenbaum; treasurer, Jacob Leichtman; executive director, Bernard G. Richards; honorary vice-presidents, Meyer Brown, Jacob Ginsburg, Judge Gustave Hartman, Professor M. M. Kaplan, Rabbi B. L. Levinthal, Judge Aaron J. Levy, Rev. Hirsh Masliansky, Benjamin Winter, Leo Wolfson, president, Hadassah; administrative committee, Dr. S. Margoshes, Isaac Allen, Isadore Apfel, Judge Louis B. Brodsky, Jacob de Haas, Max Eckmann, Jacob Fishman, George I. Fox, Abraham Goldberg, Judge Gustave Hartman, Max L. Hollander, Abraham Krasne, Louis Lande, Judge Aaron J. Levy, Louis Lipsky, George Z. Medalie, Dr. Louis I. Newman, David L. Podell, L. M. Rabinowitz, Bernard Rosenblatt, Mrs. Sol Rosenbloom, Nelson Ruttenberg, Dr. Mordecai Soltes, Herman Speier, Israel N. Thurman, Z. Tygel, Herman L. Winer.