Jewish Delegations Given Right to Approach Appropriate Committees of Peace Conference

Jewish delegations here will be able to contact commissions of the Peace Conference dealing with subjects or issues affecting Jews, under a decision by the Conference’s procedural committee, it was learned today.

Although the committee did not grant the request of the American Jewish Conference, the World Jewish Congress and the Board of Deputies of British Jews that it establish special provisions enabling non-governmental bodies to officially communicate with the 21 nations represented here, Paul Henri Spak, chairman of the procedural committee, announced that the procedure used by the United Nations would be followed by the Conference. This will give the Jewish delegations the “right to approach” official commissions.

Meanwhile, the various Jewish representatives are continuing their round-table meetings in an effort to complete consideration of their separate proposals by tomorrow. When the conferees reach an agreement on the text of the demands to be presented to the Peace Conference, a general assembly of all the members of the Jewish delegations will be called, probably on Wednesday, to approve the joint memorandum.

Jewish leaders here, both Zionists and non-Zionists, are perturbed over the statement last Friday by Gen. McNarney that the American zone in Germany will be closed to “organized” movements of refugees. They fear that it may result in grave repercussions in the DP camps. However, U.S. Jewish leaders refused to comment until further information is received from Washington.

Rabbi Stephen S. Wise left Paris yesterday for Frankfurt, where Gen. McNarney’s headquarters are located, but he declined to explain the purpose of his journey. However, it was reported two weeks ago that Dr. Wise had been invited by the U.S. commander to come to Frankfurt to discuss the problems of the displaced Jews.