Icor’s National Convention Approves Bira-bidjan Report

The luke-warm left-wingers of the Icor, American Organization for Jewish Colonization in Soviet Russia, especially at Bira Bidjan, Far Eastern Republic, suffered a defeat at the Icor’s national convention which closed here last week, when a resolution was adopted by an overwhelming vote favoring a stricter “laborilization” or closer cooperation with the Communists in the membership of the organization as the basis of future work.

The swing to the left at the convention was also expressed by the adoption of another resolution which condemned the previous Icor executive for adopting a resolution several months ago regarding the Palestine events in which Icor was put on record as not sharing the attitude of the “Freiheit” regarding the Palestine disturbances.

There were heated discussions in which leaders of both groups, the “impartial” and the outspoken Communists participated. It was however obvious that the impartials who pleaded for a broader working basis had no chance of getting their views adopted with the large majority of “left” delegates present.

A report read by the secretary, L. Talmi, showed that Icor had collected $143,370 for Jewish colonization in Russia during the past year. After expenses were deducted $110,000 worth of machinery was sent abroad. The report of Professor Kuntz and Benjamin Brown, members of the experts commission that visited Bira Bidjan was approved by the convention when the delegates heard favorable opinions expressed regarding the vast possibilities there in the future. One hundred and ninety-six delegates from 37 cities in the United States and Canada attended.

A national executive of 75 consisting of representatives of the entire country was elected. These 75 will choose a secretariat of 20 to carry on the work from New York.