Jabotinsky Calls for Arbitration Board to Settle All Labor Disputes in Palestine

The creation of a non-partisan Board of Arbitration in Palestine, to be comprised of representatives of all branches of production in Palestine under an impartial chairman, by the Assefat Ha’-Nivcharim, Palestine Jewish Assembly, and the Zionist Oragnization, is demanded by Vladimir Jabotinsky, president of the World Union of Zionist Revisionists in a published statement.

The statement sets forth the Revisionist position in connection with the recent clashes in Palestine between the Revisionists and members of the Histadruth, the former being accused of strike breaking.

Mr. Jabotinsky calls for the establishment of compulsory arbitration and neutral labor exchanges, all of which are to be subordinate to the Arbitration Board, to whom all conflicts between employer and employed are to be submitted, and all of whose decisions are to be final.

At the same time, Mr. Jabotinsky makes it known that the Revisionists plan in 1933 the creation of a second Labor Federation the purpose of which will be to break the monopoly of the Histadruth, the Palestine Jewish Labor Federation.

This will be done, he states, because of fundamental differences of viewpoint and because of the failure of the Histadruth to agree to the compromises which would have made co-operation between the two groups possible.

The Revisionists demanded the establishment of neutral labor exchanges, drawn on no party lines; and that the Histadruth alter its principles of class warfare. The Revisionists also asked equal representation in the administration of the Histadruth and on the editorial board of the Histadruth organ, “Davar.”

The Histadruth, he says, after a year’s delay, replied that it could establish neutral labor exchanges representing employers and employed alike only when requests for such came to them. Further it could not abandon the principle of class warfare.

Mr. Jabotinsky points out that the Histadruth looks upon the Jewish worker in Palestine as a proletarian with proletarian interests which are in constant conflict with those of the employers. If it should be proved that the interests of the Jewish proletarian demand union with the Arabs, it is not excluded that a Jewish-Arab Federation will be formed, he says.

“The Revisionists are opposed to this viewpoint. To them the Jewish workers are not members of a class, but pioneers,” he holds. “The Revisionist has come to Palestine not to fight for his class rights, but to create a Jewish

majority. This is to be created by building up a Jewish economy and bring in more Jews who will derive a livelihood from this economy. In Palestine the workers are not workers, nor capitalists, capitalists—all are soldiers.”

Mr. Jabotinsky asserts that at present the labor exchanges are a Histadruth monopoly, whereas in reality the assignment of work in Palestine cannot be regarded in any other light except that it concerns the whole community.

In civilized countries, he asserts, labor exchanges are established by municipalities and in rare instances by the State.

“The Revisionists demand in Palestine neutral labor exchanges, founded and maintained through the representatives of the community and the Zionist organization with the equal representation of all interested parties and under the direction of a neutral group ruling in the interests of colonization and Zionism.”

Discussing the accusation that the Revisionists are strike breakers, Mr. Jabotinsky says: “The Revisionists hold that during the period of the national colonization process there must be no strikes or lock-outs as both of these forms of class warfare are harmful to Jewish economy and that the only suitable way of safeguarding the rightful interests of both parties is through compulsory arbitration.”

At the same time, he makes it known that the Revisionists will continue to break strikes called by the Histadruth if in their viewpoint they are justified. He points out that until an Arbitration Board such as he proposes is formed, the Revisionist workers may find it necessary in order to protect national colonization to go on strike. But that will be for them to decide.

Circumstances have favored the Histadruth inasmuch as its members have controlled the immigration certificates. If the resolution adopted at the last Zionist Congress is carried out and the Palestine offices re-organized, there will be a sufficiently large new immigration element which will join the Revisionist standard in Palestine, Mr. Jabotinsky states.

“Important at the present is not the size of our new federation, but the principle—to break through the principle of monopoly of the Histadruth.”