Histadruth Leader Sees Time Ripe for New Migration Movement to Palestine

The organization of a strong American Chalutzim movement to Palestine will be undertaken, Jacob Mereminski, secretary of the Histadruth, Palestine Labor Federation, stated yesterday in an interview with a representative of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Mr. Mereminski arrived in this country last week together with Golda Meyerson, another Histadruth delegate, in the interests of this undertaking and for the purpose of helping the Gewerkschaften campaign.

Jewish youth, according to Mr. Mereminski, which is seeking an ideal and a goal can find both in the Chalutzim movement and its accomplishments in Palestine.

He finds the present time suitable for the organization of a strong Chalutzim movement in the United States. The Chalutzim who have come to Palestine from the United States in recent years have effectively demonstrated their adaptability and efficiency, he said.

The workers of America and the Jewish youth are bound to the Chalutzim in Palestine by the common need of both to create their own morrow, Mr. Mereminski said.

Mr. Mereminski is wholly in accord with the sympathizers of the Histadruth and the friends of the Gewerkschaften campaign who are anxious that in addition to the campaign for funds there be established a permanent organization of “Friends and Workers for Working Palestine.” The Histadruth Delegation will consider the carrying out of this project one of its major undertakings while in this country, he said.

Discussing the situation in Palestine, Mr. Mereminski stated that the time has come for a strong battle for a new migration movement into Palestine. Politically speaking, it has been long since there was such a ripe opportunity for the immigration of thousands of workers and a large group of middle class immigrants. The size and character of the immigration movement in the first half of the year strengthens this impression.

For the purposes of attracting both workers and private capital to Palestine, national capital is essential, Mr. Mereminski said, emphasizing that the possibilities for the fruitful investment of private capital are great.

The economic situation in Palestine is good, well stabilized and evincing progress, he said. The absorptive capacity of the country, notwithstanding the views of Shaw, French and others of their kind, is increasing with the development of the Jewish Yishub and its technique, according to the Histadruth leader.

The newly discovered water sources have opened up such vast possibilities for colonization that they exceed the visions of the greatest optimists. All that is lacking are Jews for whom the last generation of Chalutzim have paved the way, Mr. Mereminski concluded.