Histadrut Convention in U.S. Decides to Raise $5,113,000 in 1956

A budget of $5,113, 000 to be devoted exclusively to improving the situation of newcomers to Israel was adopted here today at the concluding session of the 32nd annual convention of the National Committee for Labor Israel. Checks totaling more than $500, 000 were presented today before the close of the convention. Joseph Schlossberg was re-elected chairman of the committee, which raises funds for the Histadrut, Israel’s Federation of Labor.

The 2, 000 delegates from Jewish communal organizations from all parts of the United States and Canada adopted a resolution calling for the recruitment of young scientists for Israel from all Western Hemisphere countries, with special emphasis on the U.S. and Canada. The resolution was adopted in response to a call from Israel Premier David Ben Gurion who, in a message to the convention, urged that scientists come to Israel to help “hasten the fructification of the wastelands of the Negev” in view of the “threats of our enemies to the integrity of our state.”

Dr. Dov Beigun, newly elected national secretary of the organization, commenting on the Premier’s warning that Israel is threatened, said that Mr. Ben Gurion obviously had in mind not only military threats from Egypt, but also trial balloons put out by some Western countries in an attempt to force Israel by a diplomatic offensive to cede territory to its aggressive neighbors. Dr. Beigun spoke out against the appeasement of the Arabs and the dangers of a “Middle East Munich.”

EISENHOWER GREETS PARLEY; MOSCOW URGED TO PERMIT JEWISH EMIGRATION

In a message to the convention, President Eisenhower hailed the membership of the National Committee for Labor Israel for having “striven to help refugees from tyranny and persecution and others who have chosen Israel for their home.”

Walter Reuther, president of the CIO, and a featured speaker at yesterday’s session, called on the United States to bring Israel and the United States together for peace talks and to guarantee any settlement reached. Mr. Reuther asserted that if Egypt did not agree to sit down with Israel, the U.S. should offer a mutual security pact to Israel alone, noting that such a condition would bring about a favorable change in the current tense situation. He hit the “compromise” suggestion of British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden as a threat of truncating Israel and described as workable Premier David Ben Gurion’s call to the Arab states for face-to-face negotiations.

Chaim Shurer, editor-in-chief of Davar, who visited the Soviet Union last year, appealed to the Soviet Union to permit the emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel. Describing his experiences in the USSR, Mr. Shurer said there was no organized Jewish life permitted except a rudimentary religious life in a few synagogues.

Dr. Maurice Perlzweig, head of the political department of the World Jewish Congress, reported on his discussions with leaders of the nationalist parties of Tunisia and Morocco, “who accepted our view that the right to emigrate (of Jews) is a fundamental human right.” Charles B Sherman, educational director of the Labor Zionist Organization of America, analyzed the Jewish position in America, which he described as “unique” in Jewish history. Mayor Abba Hushi of Haifa, who is currently visiting the U.S., also spoke.