Important Pro-palestine Move in America: Vice-president of United States Heads Committee of Leading

Some of the most prominent men and women in the political life of the United States, irrespective of Party divisions, including Republicans, Democrats and Progressives, met last night at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, when, as a result of the efforts and negotiations conducted over a considerable time by Mr. Emanuel Neuman, the American member of the Zionist World Executive, an American Palestine Committee was formed, with its functions defined as “aiming to further the Jewish National Homeland and the upbuilding work there, aiding in the effective fulfilment of the provisions of the Palestine Mandate relating to the Jewish National Home, and disseminating accurate information concerning its work and its progress for the guidance of American public opinion”.

The inauguration of the Committee took place at a dinner called under the auspices of the sponsoring committee, headed by Mr. Charles Curtis, the Vice-President of the United States, the members of which are Senator Borah, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Swanson, Senator Robert La Follette, Senator William King, Senator Wagner, Congressman Henry Rainey, the Majority leader in the House of Representatives, and Congressman Charles Linthicum, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the House of Representatives.

Mr. Emanuel Neuman and Professor Felix Frankfurter addressed the gathering, presenting the Zionist case in a way which moved the distinguished audience to favourable action. Mr. Neuman made a profound impression when he depicted the misery and hopelessness of the Jewish masses in Eastern and Central Europe, whose terrible plight, economic and otherwise, compels them to seek a way out by emigration, but who must stay where they are because all the countries of immigration have closed their doors and refuse to admit any more immigrants.

Describing the Jewish accomplishments in Palestine during the course of the past decade, Mr. Neuman argued that Jews are entitled to ask the civilised world for a chance in Palestine to save their ancient race and culture.

VICE-PRESIDENT CURTIS WARMLY ENDORSES ZIONIST AIMS AND RECALLS PART HE PLAYED TEN YEARS AGO IN SECURING ADOPTION OF CONGRESS RESOLUTION IN FAVOUR OF JEWISH NATIONAL HOME IN PALESTINE

Vice-President Curtis, who was the guest of honour, warmly endorsed the Zionist aims in the course of his speech, and recalled the part he had played in securing the adoption in 1922 of the resolution of the United States Congress, Senate and House of Representatives, and signed by President Harding, declaring that “the United States of America favours the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish people”.

A message from President Hoover to Mr. Emanuel Neuman was read out to the meeting, in which the President writes:

I am interested to learn that a group of distinguished men and women is to be formed to spread knowledge and appreciation of the rehabilitation which is going forth in Palestine under Jewish auspices, and to add my expression to the sentiment among our people in favour of the realisation of the age-old aspirations of the Jewish people for the restoration of their National Homeland.

I should appreciate it, the President concludes, if you will present my cordial greetings to those attending the dinner in Washington on January 17th. in order to advance this enterprise.

Senator King, who presided, announced that another meeting of the Committee would be held at an early date for the purpose of completing the organisation and electing officers.

The members of the Joint Committee include:

Mr. Arthur Hyde, Minister of Agriculture; Senator Borah, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Senator Walter of Georgia; Senator Wagner of New York; Senator King of Utah; Senator La Follette of Wisconsin; Senator Van den Burg of Michigan; Senator Watson of Indiana, and Senator W. Wheeler of Montana, the Republican Majority leader in the Senate; Congressman Rainey of Illinois, the Majority leader in the House of Representatives; Congressman Linthicum of Maryland; Congressman Kvale of Minnesota; Congressman Chindblum of Illinois; Congressman Luther Johnson of Texas; and Congressman Tilson of Connecticut; Mr. James Rogers, Assistant Secretary of State; Mr. Gleene Hockworth, the Solicitor to the Department of State; Mr. John Lord O’Brien, Assistant United States Attorney-General; Mr. James Nerown Scott, Director of the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace; Congresswoman Ruth Owen, and Dr. Elwood Mead, United States Commissioner for Reclamation.

Messages of approval and endorsement were received from Colonel Edward House, who was President Wilson’s confidential representative; Mr. Theodore Dreiser, the famous American author; Miss Mary E. Woolley, the United States delegate to the Disarmament Conference which is opening shortly in Geneva; Governor Emerson, of the State of Illinois; Governor Winnant, of New Hampshire; Governor Ritchie, of Maryland; Governor Philip La Follette, of Wisconsin; Governor Pinchot, of Pennsylvania; and Governor Olsen of Minnesota.

A message was also read out to the gathering by Mr. Emanuel Neuman received from Mr. Nahum Sokolov, the President of the Zionist World Organisation and the Jewish Agency, who was unable to attend because he was speaking at the Palestine Fund Campaign Conference held in New York (reported in yesterday’s J.T.A. Bulletin) which decided to raise a sum of 2½ million dollars during the present year for the continuation of the reconstruction work in Palestine.