Dr. Silver and Rosenwald Clash at Congressional Hearing on Palestine

A clash between Lessing J. Rosenwald, representing the American Council for Judaism and Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, representing the American Zionist Emergency Council, marked today’s resumption of hearings on the Palestine resolution by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The clash was precipitated by Mrs. Frances Bolton, Republican Congresswoman from Ohio, who praised Mr. Rosenwald’s testimony in which he opposed the part of the resolution speaking of the ultimate establishment of Palestine as a Jewish Common-wealth, on the basis that Jews are a religious group and not a political unit. “We here in this country have based our government on complete cleavage of Church and State,” she said. “This raises some important questions in my mind. Would we be reversing our entire policy in asking Britain to set up a state based on religion? Are we giving ourselves to something which sets a precedent in our foreign policy? Are we lending ourselves to a point of view that should not prevail respecting minorities?” Continuing, Mrs. Bolton also expounded on the danger of having to answer demands of every minority group to establish a state.

Dr. Silver asked permission to answer Mrs. Bolton’s questions. Pointing out that Jewish race or religion was an academic question “which we will not be able to solve now,” he declared. “This is not an attempt to create a Jewish theocracy, but to create a Jewish state like the French or the English state. This program has been whittled down during the last 25 years. Mr. Rosenwald, back in 1917, was with the group opposing the issuance of the Balfour Declaration. Mr. Rosenwald is not against the White Paper. Fortunately his point of view is not prevalent among the Jewish people — nor among non-Jewish people.”

Rosenwald asked that Dr. Silver’s remarks about his opinions be expunged from the report. He said he could speak for himself. He was permitted to ask the stenographer to omit Dr. Silver’s charges.

Mrs. Edith Nourse Rogers, Republican member from Massachusetts, asked Dr. Silver if he would object to a Syrian Arab appearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee. The question was ruled out by Chairmen Sol Bloom who said that the Committee, and not any of the witnesses, decides as to who may appear at the hearings.

COMMITTEE ROOMS PACKED WITH AN EAGER AUDIENCE

The Small committee room where the hearings are taking place was packed today with several hundred people who displayed special interest in the testimony. Many persons who could not get into the crowded room, filled the adjoining rooms and, standing on chairs, watched the proceedings.

Mr. Rosenwald resumed his testimony by repeating the views which he expressed yesterday supporting the first part of the Palestine resolution and opposing the second part which favors a Jewish Commonwealth. When asked what are the “appropriate measures” which the first part of the resolution recommends the United States to take in order to secure free entry for Jews in Palestine, Mr. Rosenwald replied that he thought the resolution would have largely a moral effect. His reply was supplemented by a statement from Chairman Bloom that any “appropriate measures” would have to be passed by Congress.

Congressmen Charles A. Eaton of New Jersey, ranking Republican member of the Committee, asked whether it would it would be advisable to create a new state in the midst of war. Rosenwald replied that he believed that it is clear that no one expected a Jewish state to be established now. Asked why a resolution to this effect was being brought forward now, Rosenwald explained that large numbers of Jews sincerely favor it, pointing out at the same time his own objections.

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR SUPPORTS RESOLUTION

A statement from William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, declaring that the Federation was in full accord with the Palestine resolution was read at the hearing. Green himself was unable to be present.

Mrs. Judith Epstein, Hadassah president, said she was speaking for 125,000 women throughout the country. She asserted that there was no organized Jewish woman’s group sharing Mr. Rosenwalds opinions, although she had met individual women who took that point of view.

PALESTINE CAN ABSORB 5,000,000 JEWS, U.S. EXPERT TESTIFIES

Walter C. Lowdermilk, land expert for the United States Agricultural Department, opened the testimony at the afternoon session. He told of his trips to Palestine and the progressive agricultural policies and pioneer spirit observable there. With industrialization, absorptive capacity of Palestine can be raised to five million persons, he stated.

Dr. Louis Wolsey of the American Council for Judaism, testifying, said: “I know that you don’t want to raise false hopes involving American guarantees that may not be implemented. Is it too much to ask that as Americans we help advance a program whereby Jews shall enjoy equality as citizens of the country in which they live, have equal rights to return to the countries from which they were forcibly driven by the Nazi conquerors, and enjoy equal rights to migrate wherever there is opportunity for migration and settlement? And yet the proposal to establish a Jewish Commonwealth is premised upon the assumption that such equality can never be attained.”

Among the others who testified late in the afternoon were Dr. James G. Heller, Rabbi Wolf Gold, and Dr. Henry Atkinson of the Christian Council for Palestine. All supported the resolution. Chairman Sol Bloom announced that only two telegrams opposed the resolution of the thousands be received.