Full Discussion by Communities of Maciver Report Urged

Full discussion by Jewish communities of the MacIver Report on the organizations engaged in combating anti-Semitism was urged here at a two-day joint regional conference of the Southwest and Southeast Regions of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds. More than 150 representatives from 20 communities in 14 states attended the parley.

In addition to the MacIver Report, delegates discussed and took action also on major local, national and overseas problems. The resolution on the MacIver Report emphasized that a full discussion by the communities of the MacIver re-commendations–together with the comments on these recommendations by the defense agencies involved and by the Large City Budgeting Conference–would constitute the best means of reflecting community viewpoints in considering the problem at the forthcoming General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds.

The viewpoint of the national agencies was presented at the conference by Charles Morris of Louisville. He indicated that the MacIver Report had considerable merit but contained several recommendations which could not be implemented because of their “impractical nature.”

The position of local community relations committee was presented by Robert Strauss of Dallas. He said that local community relations committees are in substantial agreement with Prof. MacIver’s findings. “The local point of view must be taken into account by the national agencies as they establish their policies,” he declared.

PARLEY REVIEWS FEDERATION RESPONSIBILITIES INN 1952

Addressing the conference on the responsibilities which Jewish Federations will face in 1952, Philip Bernstein, associate director of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, reviewed key factors which will influence local planning. He called attention to the decline in immigration to the United States with the entry of displaced persons to end in June, 1952, and with entry limited to regular quota immigrants thereafter; the impending changes for Jewish family welfare agencies whose service in the past several years have concentrated largely on aid to immigrants; the current decline in service to dependent and neglected children.

On the other hand, the growing numbers of aged constitute “a great social challenge to this generation and the next,” Mr. Bernstein stated, which require new concepts to be applied through a community-wide network of local services. Jewish education and leisure-time service have been taking a largess share of the local community dollar, and will represent major items on the Jewish communal agenda for 1952, he predicted.

Mr. Bernstein emphasized that the 1952 needs of Israel, now in its greatest economic crisis, will again constitute the great bulk of overseas responsibility for American Jewish philanthropic support. In this connection, he called attention to the efforts of local communities in meeting their 1951 overseas obligations. “The success of Spring welfare fund campaigns and similar responses to Fail drives now in progress coupled with the favorable reports of Israel Bond sales are the results of magnificent insight, planning co-ordination and efforts of local community organization,” he stated.

James L. Permit of Birmingham, was re-elected 1952 president of the South-east Region. A.I. Lack of Houston, succeeded Henry S. Jacob’s, of Dallas, as Southwest regional president.