Early Vote Expected on Draft of Agency Constitution at Actions Meeting

An early vote on the draft for a constitution of the extended Jewish Agency, submitted by the Zionist Executive, is expected by the Zionist General Council in session here since Friday. With this vote and the fixing of the agenda for the Zionist Congress in Zurich the Council will have concluded its business and will adjourn possibly on Tuesday.

From the discussion on the draft constitution in the plenary session of the General Council on Monday morning it appeared that the principal questions which aroused a debate were the insistence of the members that the constitution contain a clause setting forth the definite obligations of the Zionists and non-Zionists in the Palestine work, a clear formulation of the clause dealing with the possibility of the dissolution of the Jewish Agency and the situation of the Zionist Organization in such a case, and, further the demand that the Zionists’ fifty percent of the Agency membership shall vote as a body instructed by the Zionist Congress or its subsidiary.

The draft constitution was referred by the General Council to a committee of nineteen which was in session all Saturday night preparing a report to the general session on the question. It was stated that a large majority of the members of the committee were

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satisfied with the assurances given by the Zionist Executive to adhere to the five stipulations outlined in the Zionist Congress resolutions. It was likewise stated that the Executive consented to change some of the clauses of the draft constitution so that the status of the Zionist Organization may be more clearly defined and secured.

At the Saturday evening session, while waiting for the report of the committee of nineteen, the question of the new immigration to Palestine was taken up. Mr. Tartakower, speaking in behalf of the labor delegates, demanded that the Executive undertake to pay to the Palestine government the head tax of one pound and a half for the 2,400 new Chaluzim and, secondly, that a special allotment of £3,000 be made to take care of the expected immigration of 5,000 Chaluzim during the year. A discussion on this point developed between the members of the Executive and the Palestine delegates. It was finally decided by the Executive as well as by the majority of the General Council that the allotments for the new immigration preparations be made, the Executive declaring, however, that this is not to be understood as a definite obligation but as an undertaking to endeavor to remit, within the limits of the expected income, a sum up to #163;20,000 for the new immigration. A committee consisting of Kurt Blumenfeld, Katzenelson and Pick, as well as members of the Zionist Executive, was set up for this purpose.