Dr. Stephen S. Wise, who last week offered his resignation as co-chairman of the American Zionist Emergency Council, issued a statement today explaining the reasons for his action. The statement follows:
“One week ago I resigned the office of Chairman of the American Zionist Emergency Council. I did so because, as I stated in my letter of resignation, ‘I felt that it was impossible for me to remain chairman of a body one of the leaders of which the chairman of the executive committee — had deliberately and persistently contravened the decisions of the Council in a matter of supreme importance to the lasting hurt of our sacred cause.’
“At Wednesday’s nearly all-night session of the Emergency Council, the resignation was not acted upon, but a motion was passed inviting all the officers of the executive committee to resign, in order that it might be free to act upon all resignations at the same time. I believe a meeting is to be held in the near future. I could not return to the service of the Zionist Emergency Council unless the reconstituting of the Council gave assurance that no officer would again be permitted to contravenes its considered and final decisions.”
Dr. Wise would make no further comment. A meeting of the Zionist Emergency Council will be held on Thursday evening at which the question of whether or not to accept the resignations offered by Rabbi Wise and by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver will be discussed.
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