“My trip to America was, I am sure, successful in many respects,” Dr. Judah L. Magnes, head of the Hebrew University declared in an interview, shortly after his return from the United States.
“American Jews have always been the true friends of the University,” he said, “and they showed themselves this time again true and faithful to the interests of our growing institution.
“At the meetings of the members of the board of governors resident in America, many resolutions were passed looking to the future development of the university. There is no doubt that these resolutions will be acceptable to all of the members of the board of governors of the university and to all workers at the university.
LARGE GIFTS MADE
“The ananymous gift of £40,000 for cancer research has already been announced,” he said. “This money is to be expended within ten years. The American meeting has made the following nominations as heads of the three divisions of the Cancer Research Laboratories:
Professor L. Halberstaedter, formerly of Berlin — in charge of the Division of Radio-Biology;
Dr. L. Doljansky, formerly of Berlin — in charge of the Division of Cellular Physiology;
Dr. H. A. Krebs, formerly of Berlin — in charge of the Division of Chemistry.
“All these scientists have distinguished work to their credit. It will be the purpose of the Cancer Laboratories to study both the causes and cure of cancer and in connection with cancer cure, there will be cooperation with the radiotherapy section of the Hadassah Hospital which, it is hoped, will become the University Hospital in the course of the not-too-distant future.
FINANCES IMPROVED
“The financial position of the University generally has been improved,” Dr. Magnes continued, “although it was not possible for the American members of the board of governors to enter upon legal obligations in relation to the additional sums they promised. The economic situation in America is such that it is very difficult to incur legal obligations; but the American Friends of the Hebrew University assured us they would do everything in their power to increase the contribution to the University from America.
“They undertook to meet the deficit of this year and to devote an additional mount of money to the regular budget of the University beginning with the coming academic year.
INDEBTEDNESS DISCHARGED
“It has, I believe, been announced also that two donors have enabled the University to wipe out the considerable indebtedness that remained on two of the University buildings,” said the Chancellor. “This means that we do not owe a piastre to anybody outside the University itself.
“The budget for the present year, amounting to about £43,000, was ratified. This was necessary because there was no meeting of the board of governors since August, 1932. It is our great regret that the meetings planned for Jerusalem did not take place here. It was the hope of the American governors that meetings of the full board would take place in both Jerusalem and America.
“The budget next year will be about £58,000, of which £47,500 will be for the ordinary budget, £7,500 on German emergency budget, and £3,500 on Cancer budget.”
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